Plumb  in, 
Plans  arid 

Specifications 


PLUMBING 
PLANS  AND 
SPECIFICATIONS 


By 
J.   J.    COSGROVE 

BllIIQl 

Author    of 

"PRINCIPLES  AND  PRACTICE  OF  PLUMBING1 
"SEWAGE  PURIFICATION  AND  DISPOSAL" 

"HISTORY  OF  SANITATION" 

"WROUGHT  PIPE  DRAINAGE  SYSTEMS" 

"PLUMBING  ESTIMATES  AND  CONTRACTS" 

"DESIGN  OF  TURKISH  BATHS" 

mmm 

Published  by 

Standard  cSamtarg  ll)fe,  Co. 


Pittsburgh,    U  .    S.    A. 


COPYRIGHT   BY 

STANDARD    SANITARY    MFG.    CO. 

PITTSBURGH,    PA. 

1910 


PREFACE 

m  m 

N  EXPERIENCE  of  many  years'  in  the  vari- 
ous branches  of  plumbing  practice  has  brought 
home  to  the  author  the  real  need  for  a  work 
on  plumbing  plans  and  specifications  which 
will  point  out  to  those  having  the  designing 
of  plumbing  systems;  how  to  indicate  materials  and  fixtures 
on  plans;  how  to  prepare  full  and  complete  working  plans 
and  details;  how  to  write  a  satisfactory  specification,  and 
last,  but  not  least,  just  what  plumbing  work  is  required  in 
different  classes  of  buildings.  "Plumbing  Plans  and  Speci- 
fications" is  the  result  of  that  experience. 

The  book  is  divided  into  four  parts.  The  first  part  is 
devoted  to  a  presentation  of  symbols  which  it  is  urged  to 
adopt.  This  is  more  important  than  it  may  seem.  If  ten 
different  plans,  from  as  many  different  offices,  be  examined, 
the  chances  are  that  in  no  two  of  them  will  the  symbols  be 
alike.  Further,  plans  prepared  in  the  same  office  at  differ- 
ent times,  or  by  different  draughtsmen  at  the  same  time, 
often  have  unlike  symbols.  That  is  rather  confusing  to 
those  who  must  interpret  the  plans,  and  in  the  interest  of 
simplicity  and  uniformity  some  standards  should  be  adopted. 

Part  two  explains  how  to  prepare  plumbing  plans 
and  make  up  detail  drawings  of  plumbing  work.  It  is  the 
combining  of  the  symbols  into  a  complete  intelligible  whole, 
just  as  letters  are  formed  into  words,  words  into  sentences 
and  sentences  into  paragraphs. 

The  third  part  takes  up  the  matter  of  specifications, 
and  as  nothing  is  so  good  as  a  concrete  example  for  ex- 
plaining a  point,  a  full  working  specification  is  reproduced, 
which  can  be  used  as  a  form,  and  modified  or  altered  to  suit 


all  cases.  Following  the  specification  are  some  explanatory 
notes  and  helpful  suggestions  for  those  who  have  the  writing 
to  do.  After  pointing  out  how  to  write  specifications,  the 
various  clauses  and  conditions  are  analyzed,  to  show  their  real 
significance  and  meaning. 

Even  though  an  architect  understands  how  to  draw 
plumbing  plans,  he  is  often  at  a  loss  to  know  what  nature  of 
plumbing  work  is  necessary  from  an  architectural  stand- 
point for  various  classes  of  buildings.  In  order  that  this  in- 
formation will  be  available  in  the  future,  part  four  dis- 
cusses the  requirements  for  buildings  of  various  types  and 
shows  examples  of  each  class  of  building. 

This  book  is  supplemental  to  "Principles  and  Practice 
of  Plumbing,"  which  explains  how  work  should  be  done. 
"Plumbing  Plans  and  Specifications"  explains  how  to  indicate 
the  work  on  plans  and  describes  it  in  specifications.  It  is  ob- 
vious, however,  that  nobody  can  properly  plan  work  or  write 
an  intelligent  specification  without  first  knowing  how  the 
work  should  be  performed. 

J.  J.  COSGROVE 
Philadelphia,  Pa., 
June  15,  1910. 


PUBLISHER'S  NOTE 


N  THE  publisher's  note,  printed  in  the  vari- 
ous books  which  preceded  this  one,  we  en- 
deavored to  make  clear  our  connection  with 
the  publication  of  technical  works  on  plumb- 
ing and  sanitation,  and  for  the  benefit  of  the 

readers  of  this  volume,  we  herewith  repeat  the  story  of  our 

relation  as  Publisher's  and  Manufacturer's. 

The  primary  object  of  our  organization  is,  as  uni- 
versally known,  to  manufacture  and  market  *£taadai»«r 
Plumbing  Fixtures,  Brass  Goods,  and  other  products  made 
in  our  factories.  In  the  development  of  an  organization  to 
accomplish  this  result,  there  has  been  established  an  Adver- 
tising and  Publishing  Department  of  no  small  proportions, 
and  "Plumbing  Plans  and  Specifications"  is  a  part  of  the 
work  of  this  department. 

One  of  the  most  widely  known  productions  of  the 
Publishing  Department  is  the  monthly  magazine,  "Modern 
Sanitation,"  which  was  established  in  June,  1904.  From 
this  came  the  publication,  first  in  serial  form  and  later  as 
books,  of  "Principles  and  Practice  of  Plumbing,"  "Sewage 
Purification  and  Disposal,"  "History  of  Sanitation," 
"Wrought  Pipe  Drainage  Systems,"  "Plumbing  Estimates 
and  Contracts"  and  "Plumbing  Plans  and  Specifications." 
These  books  are  all  the  work  of  the  same  author,  Mr.  J.  J. 
Cosgrove,  who  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  authori- 
ties on  the  questions  upon  which  he  writes. 

Mr.  Cosgrove 's  first  work  was  "Principles  and  Prac- 
tice of  Plumbing."  This  book  has  been  phenomenally  suc- 
cessful and  has  been  adopted  as  a  text  book  in  more  than  30 
of  the  largest  universities  and  colleges  in  the  United  States. 


Several  of  his  other  works  are  similarly  used  either  in  the 
form  of  text  books  or  as  books  which  students  in  plumbing 
and  architecture  are  advised  to  read. 

In  *  'Principles  and  Practice  of  Plumbing/'  Sewage 
Purification  and  Disposal,"  "History  of  Sanitation," 
"Wrought  Pipe  Drainage  Systems,"  "Plumbing  Estimates 
and  Contracts"  and  "Plumbing  Plans  and  Specifications," 
we  feel  that  the  literature  of  the  craft  has  been  enriched 
in  an  enduring  manner  and  that  we  have  fully  justified 
our  appearance  in  the  field  of  publishers  as  amply  as  we 
have  our  standing  as  manufacturers  of  a  world  wide  known 
and  used  product. 


Pittsburgh,  U.  S.  A. 
Publishing  Department. 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS 


Plumbing  Plans 1 

/  Symbols  for  Plumbing  Plans 1 

^-UsualType  of  Plumbing  Plan 25 

3  Improved  Type  of  Plumbing  Plans 33 

Plumbing  Details 45 

"->  Drawing  Plumbing  Plans 55 

Plumbing  Specifications 61 

Example  of  a  Plumbing  Specification 65 

'   Suggestions  for  Specification- Writing 85 

Analysis  of  Specifications 101 

Planning  Plumbing  Work 123 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Residences 127 

Planning  the  Plumbing  in  Apartment  Houses 147 

"-  Planning  the  Plumbing  for  School  Buildings 157 

Planning  the  Plumbing  in  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Buildings 171 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Courthouses 183 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Hotel  Buildings 193 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Club  Buildings 205 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Churches 215 

s  Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Libraries 219 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Fire  Engine  Houses 220 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Factory  Buildings 222 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Office  Buildings 224 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Railway  Stations 225 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Printing  Offices 227 

Public  Bath  Houses 229 

Public  Playgrounds 238 

Plumbing  Work  in  Theatres,  Hospitals  and  Prisons 243 

'  Planning  Public  Convenience  Stations 255 


LIST  OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 


FIG.  PAGE 

1  Symbol  for  Cast  Iron  Pipe  4 

2  Symbol  for  Wrought  Pipe  4 

3  Symbol  for  Lead  Pipe  ....  6 

4  Symbols  for  Water  Pipes..  7 


5  One  -Line    Symbols     for 

Valves  ................  7 

6  Top  View  of  Valve  .......  8 

7  Side  View  of  Globe  Valve  8 

8  Side  View  of  Angle  Valve..  8 

9  Gate  Valve,  Side  View....  9 

10    Plan  of  T-  handle   Stop 

Cock  ..................  9 

Side    View   of  T-  handle 

Stop  Cock  ............  9 

Plain  View  of  Lever-han- 

dle Stop  Cock  .........  10 

Side  View  of  Lever-han- 

dle Stop  Cock  .........  10 

Symbol  for  Faucet  ........  10 

End  View  of  Faucet  ......  10 

Top  View  of  Faucet  ......  10 

Plan  View  of  Drain  Trap..  10 


Side  Symbol  for  Drain 

Trap  ..................  11 

Symbols  for  Soil  Pipes  on 

Plan  ..................  11 

Plan   Symbols  for  Water 

Supply  Risers  .........  11 

Symbols  for  Floor  Drain..  12 

Symbol  for  Siphon  Trap..  12 

Symbol  for  Non  -  siphon 

Trap  ..................  12 

Symbol  for  a  Suction  Tank  13 

Symbol  for  House  Tank.  .  .  14 

Symbol  for  Meter  .........  14 

Plan    Symbol    for   Water 

Heater...  .  14 


28  Elevation    Symbol  for 

Water  Heater 15 

29  Symbol  for   Hot    Water 

Tank 15 

30  Symbol  for  Plan  of  Pump    15 

31  Symbol  for  Elevation    of 

Pump 15 

32  Plan  Symbol  for  Bath  Tub    16 

33  Elevation  Symbol  for  Bath 

Tub 16 

34  Plan  Symbol  for  Lavatory    16 

35  Elevation    Symbol    for 

Lavatory 16 

36  Plan  Symbol  for  Water 

Closet 17 

37  End    Symbol  for  Water 

Closet 17 

38  Side  Symbol  for  Water 

Closet...  .     17 


41 


42 


Plan  Symbol  for  Shower . .    17 

Elevation  Symbol  for 
Shower 17 

Plan  Symbol  for  Needle 
Shower  and  Spray 
Bath... 


18 


Elevation  Symbol  for 
Needle  Shower  and 
Spray  Bath 


18 

43  Plan  Symbol  for  Sink 19 

44  Elevation  Symbol  for  Sink    19 

45  Plan  Symbol  for  Slop  Sink    19 

46  Elevation  Symbol  for  Slop 

Sink . .  


47    Plan  Symbol  for  Urinal. . . 


20 
20 

48  Elevation    Symbol    for 

Urinal 20 

49  Plan  Symbol  for  Sitz  Bath    21 

50 


Elevation  Symbol  for  Sitz 
Bath... 


21 


FIG. 

51 
52 

PA 

Plan  Symbol  for  Foot  Bath 

Elevation  Symbol  for  Foot 
Bath 

.GE 
21 

21 

FIG. 

77 
78 

53 

Elevation    Symbol    for 
Child's  Bath        

22 

79 

54 
55 

Plan  Symbol  for  Bidet.  .  .  . 

Elevation   Symbol   for 
Bidet.  . 

22 
22 

80 
81 

56  Plan  Symbol  for  Laundry 

Tray 23 

57  Elevation  Symbol   for 

Laundry  Tray 23 

58  Plan  Symbol  for  Drinking 

Fountain 23 

59  Elevation    Symbol    for 

Drinking  Fountain 23 


Plan    Symbol  for  Bubble 
Fountain 24 

Elevation  Symbol  for  Bub- 
ble Fountain 24 

Usual  Type  First   Floor 
Plan...  


Usual  Type  Second  Floor 
Plan . . . 


Usual    Type 
Plan 


Third  Floor 


Usual  Type  Conventional 
Plumbing  Elevation.. 

Improved  Type    Ground 
Floor  Plumbing  Plan- 


Improved  Type  First,  Sec- 
ond and  Third  Floor 
Plans 41 

Improved  Type  Fourth 
Floor  Plumbing  Plan..  43 

Detail  of  Soil  and  Vent 
Stack 46 

Plan  Detail  of  Bathrooms    47 

Detail  Elevation  of  Lead 
Work  in  Bathrooms. . .  48 

Detail  of  Connections  to 
Water  Pipes  in  Bath- 
rooms   49 

Detail  of  Water  Pipes  in 
Bathrooms 50 

Plan  Detail  of  Water  Tank    51 

Elevation  Detail  of  House 
Tank 52 

Elevation  Detail  of  Mani- 
fold Headers 53 


100 
101 
102 

103 


PAGE 

End  Detail  of  Manifold ...    54 

One  -  quarter  Inch  Scale 
Drawing  of  Bathroom  58 

One -eighth  Inch  Scale 
Drawing  of  Bathroom  59 

First  Floor  Plan  of  Pri- 
vate House 137 

Second  Floor  Plan  of  Pri- 
vate House 139 

Cellar  Plan  of  Residence. .  141 
First  Floor  Plan  of  Resi- 
dence  143 

Second  Floor  Plan  of  Resi- 
dence   145 

Basement  Plan  of  Apart- 
ment House 149 

First  Floor  Plan  of  Apart- 
ment House 151 

Second  and  Third  Floor 
Plan  of  Apartment 
House 153 

Fourth  Floor  Plan  of 
Apartment  House 155 

First  Floor  Plan  of  School  167 

Typical  Floor  Plan  of 
School  BuUding 169 


Basement  Plan  of  Y.  M. 
C.  A.  Building 173 

First  Floor  Plan  of  Y.  M. 
C.  A,  Building 175 

Second  Floor  Plan  of  Y.  M. 
C.  A.  Building 177 

Third  Floor  Plan  of  Y.  M. 
C.  A.  Building 179 

Fourth  Floor  Plan  of  Y.  M. 
C.  A.  Building 181 

Basement  Plan  of  Court- 
house    185 

First  Floor  Plan  of  Court- 
house   187 

Second  Floor  Plan  of 
Courthouse 189 

Plumbing   Details    for 
Courthouses 191 

First  Floor  Plan  of  Hotel..  195 
Second  Floor  Plan  of  Hotel  197 

Upper    Floor    Plan    of 
Hotel 199 

Novel  Floor  Plan  of  Hotel 
Building 201 


FIG.  PAGE 

104  First  Floor  of  Club  Build- 

ing  208 

105  Second    Floor    of   Club 

Building 209 

106  Third  Floor  of  Club  Build- 

ing  211 

107  Fourth  and  Fifth  Floors 

of  Club  Building 213 

108  Detail  of   Form  Sink  for 

Press  Room 228 

109  Model    Wash    House  In- 

terior    at   Whitevale, 
England 235 

110  Basement  Plan  of  Public 

Wash    House   and 
Baths 237 

111  First  Floor  Plan  of  Public 

Wash    House   and 
Baths 239 

112  Second  Floor  Plan  of  Pub- 

lic  Wash  House   and 
Baths 241 

113  Layout  of  Typical   Small 

Public  Playground ....  245 

114  Plan  of  Recreation  Build- 

ing, Public  Play- 
ground  247 


FIG. 


PAGE 


115  Typical    Swimming    Pool 

Scene,  Public  Play- 
ground  248 

116  Shower  Baths  Before  En- 

tering Swimming  Pool  249 

117  An  Outdoor  Gymnasium. .  250 

118  Typical    Wading  Pool 

Scene,  Children's  Play- 
ground  251 

119  Typical    Drinking    Foun- 

tain Scene 252 

120  Front  Elevation  of  Above- 

g  round  Convenience 
Station 259 

121  Rear  Elevation  of  Above- 

ground  Convenience 
Station 261 

122  Plan    of   Above-ground 

Public    Convenience 
Station 263 

123  Elevation    of   an    Under- 

ground   Convenience 
Station 265 

124  Plan  of  an  Underground 

Convenience  Station..  266 


PLUMBING 
P  LAN  SAND 
SPECIFICATIONS 


PART    I 
PLUMBING   PLANS 


CHAPTER   I 

SYMBOLS   FOR    PLUMBING    PLANS 


INTRODUCTORY 

HE  contract  for  plumbing  work  in  a 
building  usually  stipulates  that  the 
work  shall  be  done  according  to  the 
plans  and  specifications.  This  con- 
dition makes  the  plans  and  specifica- 
tions as  much  a  part  of  the  contract  as  though  they 
were  embodied  in  the  indenture  itself,  and  in  order 
that  no  after  dispute  shall  arise  as  to  the  true  in- 
tent and  meaning  of  the  work  to  be  performed,  or 
material  to  be  provided,  the  plans  and  specifica- 
tions should  be  so  complete  and  full  that  they  will 
cover  every  requirement;  and  so  clear,  concise  and 
plain  that  they  can  be  readily  understood  by  a 
person  of  average  intelligence  having  a  reasonable 
knowledge  of  the  plumbing  business.  In  order  to 
prepare  a  good  plan  and  write  the  specifications,  it 
is  necessary  for  the  designer  to  understand  plumb- 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

ing  practice  in  all  its  phases.  Further,  he  must 
have  a  full  knowledge  of  the  various  materials  and 
fixtures  suitable  for  this  branch  of  building,  to- 
gether with  their  advantages  and  limitations.  It 
is  assumed  that  he  is  familiar  with  the  various 
systems  in  vogue  and  can  properly  proportion 
drainage  systems,  water  supply  and  other  pipes, 
systems  and  apparatus,  used  in  plumbing. 

The  advantages  of  having  well-prepared 
plumbing  plans  and  specifications  are  sevenfold. 
There  are  many  men  of  financial  responsibility  en- 
gaged in  the  plumbing  business  who  do  not  possess 
sufficient  skill  and  knowledge  to  properly  lay  out  a 
system;  and,  unless  the  plans  are  full  and  complete, 
and  the  specifications  explicit,  these  men  cannot 
intelligently  estimate  on  the  work;  consequently, 
they  will  either  refuse  to  figure  the  cost  or  will 
estimate  so  high  as  to  be  out  of  the  contest.  If,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  plans  and  specifications  are  so 
well  prepared  that  nothing  is  left  to  conjecture 
which  can  be  shown,  described,  or  explained,  the 
architect  and  owner  will  have  the  benefit  of  re- 
sponsible competition  and  will  secure  a  better  in- 
stallation; for  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  a  person 
skilled  in  laying  out  plumbing  systems  and  writing 
the  specifications  will  prepare  a  better  and  more 
nearly  complete  layout  than  will  a  contractor  who 
seldom  is  called  upon  to  lay  out  his  own  work,  and 
then  only  on  small  installations.  Furthermore,  by 
carefully  studying  the  plans  and  then  laying  out 
the  plumbing  work  on  separate  sheets,  the  very 
best  runs,  with  the  use  of  the  least  possible  mater- 
ial, can  be  planned  with  a  considerable  saving  in 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Spec  if  i«  at  ion  § 

the  cost  of  the  installation;  and  so  fully  can  the 
work  be  laid  out  that  there  will  be  a  noticeable 
absence  of  the  vexatious  "extras"  which  every 
good  architect  tries  to  avoid.  This  in  turn  re- 
bounds to  the  credit  of  the  architect,  whose  best 
means  of  advertising  is  through  pleased  and  satis- 
fied clients. 

Another  valuable  feature  of  full  and  complete 
plumbing  plans  lies  in  their  usefulness  for  future 
reference  in  case  of  alterations  or  repairs  to  the 
plumbing  work  in  the  building. 

Indicating  Plumbing  Work  on  Plans. — Con- 
ventional characters  or  symbols  must  be  used  to 
indicate  plumbing  work  and  fixtures  on  plans,  just 
as  symbols  and  lines  are  used  to  indicate  doors, 
windows,  steps,  partitions  and  other  structural  de- 
tails on  architectural  drawings.  At  the  present 
time  there  is  no  uniformity  in  this  respect,  and  the 
lack  of  standards  often  leads  to  serious  confusion. 
For  instance,  if  plans  from  ten  different  offices  are 
examined,  the  chances  are  that  on  no  two  of  them 
will  the  symbols  be  alike.  Further,  plans  prepared 
in  the  same  office  at  different  times,  or  one  set  of 
plans  on  which  different  draughtsmen  have  been 
working,  will  often  show  as  many  different  symbols 
for  a  water  closet  or  lavatory,  as  there  were  work- 
men engaged  on  the  drawings.  That  is  rather 
confusing  to  plumbers  who  must  take  off  quantities 
from  the  plans;  for,  oftentimes  the  symbols  used 
are  so  strange,  and  bear  so  little  resemblance  to 
the  fixtures  or  apparatus,  that  some  of  them  are 
overlooked  by  the  estimator. 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


In  the  following  pages  some  simple,  easily 
made,  yet  at  the  same  time  characteristic  symbols 
are  suggested  as  standards  for 
use  in  architectural  offices. 
Their  general  adoption  will  not 
only  be  appreciated  by  plumb- 
ers, but  will  simplify  and  make 
more  definite  and  certain  the 
preparing  of  plumbing  plans. 

There  are  various  kinds  of 
pipe  used  in  a  plumbing  instal- 
lation, and  it  is  necessary  for 
the  estimator  and  contractor  to 
be  able  to  distinguish  between 
them  at  a  glance.  For  this 
•  reason,  the  drainage  system  is 
drawn  in  an  entirely  different 
manner  than  the  water-supply 
system;  and  the  difference  can 
likewise  be  distinguished  be- 
tween cast-iron  and  wrought 
pipe. 

Cast-iron  soil  pipe  is  indica- 
^ted  on  drawings  by  means  of 
two  lines,  as  shown  in  Fig.  1, 
with  hubs  at  5-foot  intervals, 
and  at  fittings.    The  distance 
between  the  lines  need  not  be 
drawn  to  scale,  as  that  would 
sometimes  bring  the  lines  too 
close  together,  and  it  is  found 
Fijr- l      better  in  practice  to  draw  them      Figr- 2 


Symbol  for 


Symbol  for 


OjrililLnjl  J.IU.  n  •  T  ujr  inajVM  j.vi. 

cast-iron  pipe  out  of  proportion,  when  neees-  wrought  pipe 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

sary,  in  order  that  they  will  stand  out  strong  in  the 
illustration.  The  sizes  can  then  be  marked  along- 
side of  the  pipes,  beginning  where  the  drain  enters 
the  building.  Once  the  size  has  been  indicated, 
that  size  is  supposed  to  continue  until  a  smaller 
size  is  marked. 

Wrought-iron  or  steel  pipe  is  indicated  by 
means  of  two  parallel  lines,  as  in  the  case  of  cast- 
iron  pipe,  but  with  the  difference,  that  hubs  are 
omitted  at  5-foot  intervals  and  fittings  or  joints  are 
indicated  only  where  a  branch  connection  or  a  bend 
in  the  pipe  is  to  be  made.  Wrought  pipe  for  water- 
supply  is  never  shown  in  double  lines  on  the  plans 
or  general  drawings,  so  that  when  double -line 
wrought  pipe  is  marked,  drainage  work  is  always 
understood.  On  detail  drawings,  however,  show- 
ing runs  of  water  pipe,  the  double  line  method  is 
used,  that  being  the  better  one  for  the  purpose. 
Wrought  pipe,  such  as  used  for  drainage  work  is 
shown  in  Fig.  2.  By  comparing  the  Y  fitting  with 
the  similar  fitting  on  cast-iron  pipe,  shown  in 
Fig.  1,  the  difference  between  the  symbols  for  a 
cast-iron  soil  fitting  and  a  recessed  drainage  fitting 
will  be  readily  seen. 

Lead  pipe  is  indicated  by  means  of  two  parallel 
lines  bent  to  fit  any  position  or  follow  any  direction. 
The  junction  of  one  lead  pipe  with  another,  at  an 
angle,  is  indicated  by  a  branch  joint,  as  at  a,  a, 
Fig.  3;  and  where  a  lead  pipe  is  connected  to  a 
brass  ferrule  or  solder  nipple,  that  fact  is  indicated 
by  a  wiped  solder  joint.  Sometimes  branches  are 
connected  together,  as  at  6,  without  indicating  a 
solder  joint. 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Water  supply  pipes  on  plans  and  general  draw- 
ings are  shown  by  means  of  single  lines  made  solid, 
dotted,  dashed  or  crossed,  so  as  to  indicate  the 
different  uses.  For  instance,  if  there  were  hot  and 
cold,  fresh  and  salt  water  to  be  supplied  to  a  sea- 
side hotel,  the  various  pipes,  together  with  circu- 
lation pipes,  pump  pipes,  or  any  other  kind  that  it 


IT 


^ 


Solder  Nipple. 


Fig.  3 
Symbol  for  Lead  Pipe 

might  be  necessary  to  show,  could  be  indicated  by 
lines  similar  to  those  shown  in  Fig.  4.  Whatever 
symbols  were  used  for  this  purpose,  however, 
should  be  indicated  on -the  plans  with  the  key  to 
explain  their  meaning,  substantially  as  shown  in 
the  illustration.  The  lines  shown  in  the  illustration 

6 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

need  not  be  used  as  a  matter  of  necessity,  but  any 
arbitrary  lines  will  do  so  long  as  there  is  a  key 
furnished  to  explain  their  uses. 


Cold  Wafer 


—  Hot  Water     >  Fresh  Wafer  P^s. 
-  -  Ctrcu/afion.  J 


Cold  Water.  \ 

•  Hot  Water     >  Soft  Wafer  Pipes. 

•  Circu/ot/on  ' 


Fig.  4 
Symbols  for  Water  Pipes 

Characters  will  be  found  useful  on  water  pipes 
showing  where  valves  are  to  be  placed,  and  this 
necessitates  a  set  of  symbols  to  indicate  the  various 
kinds  of  valves  on  solid  or  dotted  line  drawings. 
The  side  view  of  a  globe  valve  for  one-line  pipe 
symbols,  can  be  made  as  shown  at  (a)  in  Fig.  5, 
and  the  side  view  of  a  gate  valve  can  be  made  as 
shown  at  (6).  Having  symbols  to  indicate  the 
two  principal  kinds  of  valves  will  often  be  found 
convenient,  as  not  only  the  location  but  likewise  the 
kind  of  valve  can  frequently  be  shown.  The  plan 
view  of  either  a  gate  valve,  or  a  globe  valve  would 
be  made  as  shown  at  (c).  Looking  down  on  a 

Plan  View 

Globe  Valve          Gate  Valve  of  Valve          Angle  Valve    Check  Valve 

(a)  (b)  (c)  (d)  (e) 


T 


Fig.  5 
One-line  Symbols  for  Valves 

valve,  there  is  nothing  to  distinguish  one  kind  from 
another.  When  necessary  to  differentiate,  how- 
ever, the  side  view  of  the  respective  valves  can  be 
shown  in  plan.  Angle  valves  are  made  as  at  (d). 

1 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

Check  valves  are  not  frequently  required,  but  when 
they  are  may  be  drawn  as  shown  at  (e) .  As  the 
top  view  of  a  check  valve  would  not  differ  much 
from  the  side  view,  for  the  sake  of  simplicity,  the 
one  symbol  may  be  used  in  either  position. 

In  making  detail  drawings  of  water-supply 
pipes,  double-line  pipes  are  shown,  and  the  valves, 
of  course  must  correspond,  the  simple  line-drawing 
symbols  not  being  suitable  for  this  purpose. 
Further,  in  making  up  a  detail  drawing,  some 
valves  might  be  shown  in  an  upright  position,  while 
others  will  be  shown  turned  on  their  sides;  and 
different  symbols  must  be  provided  for  each  case. 


Fig.  6  Fig.  7  Fig.  8 

Top  View  of  Side  View  of  Side  of 

Valve  Globe  Valve  Angle  Valve 

The  top  view  of  a  valve,  or  the  way  it  would  look 
if  turned  on  its  side,  is  shown  in  Fig.  6. 

This  symbol  merely  indicates,  conventionally, 
a  valve  of  some  description  without  giving  any  clue 
to  its  kind  or  make,  it  might  be  either  a  gate  valve, 
or  a  globe  valve,  but  would  not  answer  for  an  angle 
valve,  which  would  be  rounded  off  on  one  end. 
All  that  is  usually  considered  necessary  in  making 
detail  drawings  is  to  locate  the  various  valves  and 
show  their  uses,  leaving  to  the  specifications  to 
state  whether  they  shall  be  globe  or  gate  valves, 
and  the  kind  and  quality.  When  possible  however 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

it  is  advisable  to  use  the  correct  symbol  to  show 
the  kind  of  valve  to  be  used.  To  this  end  it  is 
necessary  to  have  symbols  for  detail  drawings, 
showing  all  types  of  cocks  and  valves.  The  side 
view  of  a  globe  valve  is  conventionally  shown  in 
Fig.  7.  This  shows  the  way  the  valve  would  look 
standing  upright  when  screwed  onto  a  pipe.  An 
angle  valve,  which  combines  the  double  function 
of  a  valve  and  an  elbow,  is  shown  in  Fig.  8.  This 
valve  may  be  shown  in  its  present  upright  position; 
turned  on  its  back  so  that  one  outlet  will  point  up; 
or  turned  so  that  the  side  outlet  will  point  down. 
A  check- valve  would  look  like  the  side  view  of 
a  globe  valve  with  the  stuffing-box,  wheel,  and 


Ffe.  9  Fig.  10  Fig.  11 

Gate  Valve  Plan  of  T-Handle  Side  View  T-Handle 

Side  View  Stop  Cock  Stop  Cock 

valve-stem  .left  off.  The  side  view  of  a  gate  valve 
would  be  drawn  as  indicated  in  Fig.  9.  If  placed 
on  its  side,  the  symbol  for  a  gate  valve  would  be 
the  same  as  for  that  of  a  globe  valve.  In  addition 
to  valves,  stop  cocks  are  sometimes  used  in  the 
water  supply  systems  to  buildings,  and  convention- 
al symbols  are  necessary  to  show  both  the  T-handle 
and  lever  handle  cocks.  Tee  handle  stop  cocks  are 
shown  in  plan  as  indicated  in  Fig.  10,  while  a  side 
view  is  shown  in  Fig.  11. 

9 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


The  symbols  for  lever-handle  cocks,  differ  but 
little  from  those  of  T-handle,  the  chief  difference 
being  in  the  shape  of  the  handles.  The  top  view 
of  a  lever-handle  stop  cock  is  shown  in  Fig.  12,  and 
the  side  view  is  shown  in  Fig.  13. 


Fig.  12 

Plan  View  of 

Lever- Handle  Stop  Cock 


Fig.  13 

Side  View  of 

Lever-Handle  Stop  Cock 


Fig.  14 

Symbol  for 

Faucet 


As  a  matter  of  fact  the  symbols  used  to  repre- 
sent either  a  T-handle  or  a  lever  handle  stop  cock, 
might  be  used  to  indicate  stop-and- waste  cocks  of 
the  same  pattern.  The  only  way  to  learn  definite- 
ly what  grade,  quality  and  make  of  cocks  or  valves 
are  to  be  used,  is  to  consult  the  specifications.  The 
symbols  show  only  that  cocks  and  valves  are  to  be 
used,  and  then  approximate  locations.  It  is  left 
for  the  specifications  to  supply  all  remaining  infor- 
mation. 


Fig.  15 
End  View 
of  Faucet 


Fig.  16 
Top  View 
of  Faucet 


Fig.  17 
Plan  View  of 
Drain  Trap 


The  conventional  way  of  indicating  the  side 
view  of  a  faucet  is  shown  in  Fig.  14.  This  shows 
a  compression  type  of  faucet,  but  may  be  used  to 
represent  any  kind  or  make.  The  end  elevation  of 

10 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

a  faucet  is  shown  in  Fig.  15,  and  a  top,  or  plan 
view  in  Fig.  16. 

About  the  only  fittings  for  the  drainage  system, 
which  require  symbols,  are  the  drain  traps,  and  the 
yard  or  floor  drains.     Ordinary  fittings  for  cast-iron 
pipe,  such  as  Tees, 
Y's  and  Ty's,  are        S~\  p, 
so  familiar  to  all        x-x   ^ 
draughtsmen,      3'6oi/     *"Venr 
Fig.  is  that  they  can  be          Fig.  19 

swe  symbol  for        reproduced  f  r  o  m  symbols  f or  Soil  and 

Drain  Trap  Vent  Stacks  on  Plans 

memory. 

Drain  traps,  with  two  cleanout  plugs,  are  indi- 
cated in  plan  as  shown  in  Fig.  17.  When  the  trap 
has  but  one  cleanout  opening,  the  double  circle 
with  the  square  inside,  to  the  left,  which  is  on  the 
outlet  end  of  the  trap,  is  omitted.  The  symbol 
thus  changed  indicates  the  plan  view  of  a  rain- 
leader,  or  other  drain  trap,  having  but  one  clean- 
out opening.  Fig.  18  shows  in  elevation  a  trap 
with  two  cleanout  openings. 

As  in  the  case  just  explained,  if  a  trap  with  a 
single  cleanout  opening  is  to  be  shown,  the  hub  and 
cleanout  plug  to  the  left  are  omitted. 

Where  stacks  of  soil,  waste  _ 

and  vent  pipes  pass  up  through  rHof  /rCo/(/  rCtrculafion, 
a  building,  they  are  indicated  ^    ^ 

on  the  plans  by  means  of  heavy        pian  symbols  for 
circles,  as  shown  in  Fig.  19,       Water  Supply  Risers 
and  the  size  and  kind  of  pipe  are  marked  on  the 
drawing.      Water-supply  pipes  are  indicated  by 
solid  disks,  as  shown  in  Fig.  20,  and  the  size  and 
kind  of  pipe  are  marked  alongside  as  in  the  case  of 

11 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

soil,  waste  and  vent  pipes.  The  location  of  yard, 
area,  cellar  or  other  floor  drains  is  shown,  as  indi- 
cated in  Fig.  21.  If  made  of  masonry,  the  catch- 
basin  for  such  drains  should  be  detailed.  If  stock 
fittings  are  to  be  used  the  particular  kind  should 
be  specified. 

A  trap  is  used  in  connection  with  each  fixture 
or  set  of  fixtures,  and  its  presence  should  always  be 
shown  on  the  drawings.  Generally,  the  syphon 
trap  is  used  in  connection  with  the  two-pipe  system 
of  plumbing,  and  the  non-syphon  trap  with  the 
one-pipe  systems.  There  is  nothing,  however,  to 
prevent  the  non-syphon  trap  being  used  in  connec- 
tion with  two-pipe  drainage  systems,  and,  so  the 


Fig.  21  Fig.  22  Fig.  23 

Symbol  for  Symbol  for  Symbol  for 

Floor  Drain  Siphon  Trap  Non-Siphon  Trap 

kind  of  trap  to  be  used  can  be  told  at  a  glance, 
symbols  are  required  for  both  syphons  and  non- 
syphon  traps. 

Syphon  traps  are  made  as  shown  in  Fig.  22,  or 
the  outlet  leg  may  be  turned  down  to  form  either 
a  |-S-trap,  or  a  full  S-Trap.  Non-syphon  traps  are 
indicated  as  shown  in  Fig.  23,  by  means  of  an  en- 
larged drum,  into  which  the  inlet  and  outlet  pipes 
are  connected.  Instead  of  a  full  S-trap,  as  shown 
in  the  symbol,  a  half  S-trap  can  be  indicated  by 
extending  the  outlet  pipe  back  to  the  wall.  The 
syphon  trap  is  used  in  connection  with  the  two-pipe 

12 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Suction 


system  of  installation,  and  must  be  back  vented 
from  some  point  near  the  outlet.  Non-syphon  traps 
are  generally  used  with  the  one-pipe  system  of 
plumbing  and  do  not  require  to  be  back  vented. 

Indicating  Plumbing  Apparatus  on  Plans. — In 
marking  plumbing  apparatus,  such  as  pumps,  tanks, 
filters,  meters,  heaters  and  manifolds,  on  plans, 
the  chief  requirement  is  to  locate  them  in  their 
right  places  and  see  that  they  are  drawn  to  scale 
so  that  they  will  show  the  proportionate  spaces 
they  will  occupy  in  the  building.  Square,  or  rect- 
angular, suction  or  house  tanks  can  be  indicated  by 
means  of  a  rectangle 
or  square,  drawn  to 
scale,  and  showing 
the  connections  to 
the  tank.  The 
method  of  indicating 
a  suction  tank,  sup- 
ported on  I-beams,  is 
shown  in  Fig.  24. 
The  four  lines 
bounding  the  rect- 
angle merely  define  the  size  of  the  tank,  and  the 
name,  dimensions  and  other  data  may  be  marked 
within  it  or  alongside.  In  detailing  a  tank  and  its 
connections,  of  course,  a  more  complete  drawing 
would  be  necessary.  A  conventional  plan  drawing 
of  a  circular  house  tank  is  shown  in  Fig.  25.  It  is 
merely  indicated  in  its  proportionate  size  by  two 
concentric  circles  and  is  shown  resting  on  two 
I-beams,  which  in  turn  are  supported  by  the  two 
walls  of  the  building  which  form  an  angle  at  that 

13 


n- 

,  4'  6*  I-  Beams 

\       n 

II 
II 
II 

$ 

i    t 

JLSl' 

=Q=i!!             ! 

u 

U          U 

4'v6'*3'D**p. 

Fig.  24 
Symbol  for  a 
Suction  Tank 

Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


J-Be 

Fig.  25 
Symbol  for  House  Tank 


point.  Meters  are  generally  shown  as  indicated  in 
Fig.  26  and  with  a  bi-pass  around  them.  If,  where 
the  work  is  to  be  installed,  the  water  authorities 
will  not  permit  a  bi-pass  around  the  meter,  a  second 
meter  is  put  in  the  bi-pass  in 
all  large  buildings,  and  the  bi- 
pass  omitted  entirely  in  others. 
House  filters  are  shown  as  a 
circle  or  double  concentric 
circle,  fitted  up  with  a  bi-pass. 
If  a  circle  were  substituted  for 
the  symbol 
of  a  meter  in 

Fig.  26  the  illustration  would  pass 
very  well  for  a  filter  connection. 
The  method  of  indicating  a 
water  heater,  in  plan,  is  shown  in 
Fig.  27.  Usually  this  symbol  is 
drawn  alongside  of  a  large  circle 
which  represents  the  hot-water 
tank,  and  pipes  are  shown  con- 
necting the  two 
parts  of  the  heating  outfit  together. 
In  detail  drawings,  the  heater 
is  shown,  in  elevation,  as  illustrated 
in  Fig.  28.  If  a  hot-water  tank 
which  is  to  be  heated  by  a  water 
heater,  is  intended  to  be  suspended 
from  the  floor  beams  in  a  horizontal 
position,  it  may  be  indicated  as  shown  in  Fig.  29, 
but  without  the  steam  coil  which  is  represented  by 
dotted  lines.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  water  is 
to  be  heated  by  means  of  steam  circulating  through 

14 


Fig.  26 
Symbol  for  Meter 


Fig.  27 

Plan  Symbol  for 
a  Water  Heater 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


a  steam  coil,  the  coil  is  indicated  by  means  of  dot- 
ted lines,  as  shown  in  the  illustration.  In  either 
case  bands  may  be  shown  supporting  the  tank  from 
the  overhead  beams,  or  details  may  be  made  show- 
ing the  form  of  hangers  or  rests  to 
be  used.  Pumps  may  be  shown 
conventionally  in  plan,  as  in  Fig. 
30,  and  in  elevation  as  in  Fig.  31. 
The  symbols  illustrated  in  the  fore- 
going  para- 
graphs need 
not  be  closely 
followed,  but 
designs  or 


Fig.  28 

Elevation  Symbol  for 
a  Water  Heater 


Fig.  29 

Symbol  for 

Hot- Water  Tank 


Symbols    Which 

will  represent  the  apparatus  they  stand  for,  with 
the  least  expenditure  of  labor,  consistant  with  good 
work,  will  answer.  Nevertheless,  in  the  interest 
of  uniformity  and  simplicity,  it  will  be  found  desir- 
able in  practice  to  follow  the  general  outline  of  the 
symbols  indicated.  They 
have  long  been  tried  in 


Fig.  30  Fig.  31 

Symbol  for  Plan  of  Pump  Symbol  for  Elevation  of  Pump 

the  drafting  room,  and  are  known  to  be  simple, 
practicable  and  easy  to  make. 

Indicating  Plumbing  Fixtures  on  Plans. — The 
symbols  used  on  drawings  to  represent  plumbing 
fixtures,  bear  a  close  resemblance  to  the  outline  of 

15 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


the  fixtures  represented,  so  that  they  can  be  dis- 
tinguished from  other  fittings  or  apparatus  in  the 
building,  and  so  the  kind  of  fixture  can  be  told  at  a 
glance.  If  special  fixtures  are  to  be  used,  or  if  for 


Fig.  32 
Plan  Symbol  for  Bath  Tub 


Fig.  33 
Elevation  Symbol  for  Bath  Tub 


any  reason  the  symbols  cannot  be  made  to  repre- 
sent clearly  the  fixtures  they  stand  for,  the  name 
of  the  fixtures,  or  letters  which  will  indicate  what 
they  are,  should  be  added  to  the  symbol  to  avoid 
ambiguity.  It  should  be  remembered  that  the  ob- 
ject is  not  to  make  illustrations  of  the  various  fit- 
tings, fixtures,  and  apparatus,  but  only  mechanical 
drawings  which  will  indicate  with  sufficient  clear- 
ness what  they  represent,  so  that  no  uncertainty 
will  arise,  as  to  what  they  stand  for.  It  will  be 

noticed  that 

straight  lines 

and  circles  are 

used  as  much 

as  possible  in 

the  symbols 

herein   em- 
ployed, so  that 
any  draftsman,   with  T-square,    triangle 


Fig.  34 

Plan  Symbol  for 
Lavatory 


Fig.  35 

Elevation  Symbol 
for  Lavatory 

and 

compass,  can  easily  make  any  of  them.  It  is  good 
practice  to  draw  the  fixtures  to  scale  on  the  plans, 
having  each  in  its  relative  position,  so  the  spaces 

16 


Plumbing    Plans*,  and    Specifications 


they  will  occupy  and  their  relation  to  one  another 
will  be  apparent.     By  drawing  fixtures  to  scale,  it 


Plan  Symbol  for 
Water  Closet 


Fig.  37 

End  Symbol  for 
Water  Closet 


Fig.  38 

Side  Symbol  for 
Water  Closet 


Fig.  39 

Plan 

Symbol  for 
Shower 


will  be  seen  whether  a  group  of  fixtures  can  be  in- 
stalled in  the  space  allotted  to  them.  If  not,  they 
can  be  rearranged  before  ink- 
ing them  in  on  the  drawings. 
The  method  of  indicating  a 
bath  tub  on  plan  is  shown  in 
Fig.  32.  This  symbol  is  so  like 
the  familiar  outline  of  a  bath 
tub  that  what  it  represents  is 
suggested  instantly  to  the 
mind.  In  Fig.  33  is  shown  the 
method  of  indicating  a  bath 
tub  in  elevation,  and  the  like- 
ness is  so  striking  that  there  is 
no  danger  of  mistaking  what 
the  lines  stand  for. 

Lavatories  are  drawn  in  = 
plan  as  shown  in  Fig.  34.    The 
oval  opening  in  the  center  Of  Elevation  Symbo1  for  Shower 
the  rectangle,  together  with  the  two  cocks  sticking 
over  the  edge  of  the  slab,  so  as  to  discharge  into 

17 


Fig.  40 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


the  bowl,  leave  no  doubt  as  to  the  object  of  this 
symbol.  The  method  of  indicating  the  lavatory  in 
elevation  is  shown  in  Fig.  35,  where  the  outline  of 
the  bowl,  and  the  cocks  above  it,  tell  unmistakably 
what  these  lines  stand  for. 

Water  closets  are  conven- 
tionally shown  in  plan  as  illus- 
trated in  Fig.  36,  and  in  front 
elevation  as  shown  in  Fig.  37. 
The  side  view  of  a  closet  is 
illustrated  in  Fig.  38.  These 


Fig.  42 


Fig.  41 

Plan  Symbol  for  Needle, 
Shower  and  Spray  Bath 

three  symbols  may  be  used  to 
represent  any  type  of  water 
closet.  Shower  baths  are  indi- 
cated in  plan  by,  the  symbol  Elevation  s^f or  Needle, 

Shown    in    Fig.    39.        In    eleva-         Shower  and  Spray  Bath 

tiori,  the  illustration  shown  in  Fig.  39  may  be  used. 
If,  however,  a  shower  bath  is  to  be  used  in  con- 
nection with  a  receptor,  the  outline  of  a  receptor 
may  be  shown  on  Fig.  39  and  the  shower  set  over 
a  receptor  in  Fig.  40.  When  used  in  combination 
with  a  bath  tub,  the  two  symbols,  that  for  a  shower, 
and  the  one  for  the  bath  tub  can  be  combined. 


18 


Plumbing    Plans, and    Specifications 


Fig.  43 
Plan  Symbol  for  Sink 


There  are  various  designs  of  needle,  shower 
and  spray  baths,  but  one  conventional  set  of 
symbols  will  answer  for  all.  When  a  fixture  of  this 
description  is  to  be 
set  over  a  receptor, 
it  may  be  shown  on 
the  plans  as  indi- 
cated in  Fig.  41. 
The  elevation  of  a 
needle,  shower  and 
spray  bath  may  be  shown  as  illustrated  in  Fig.  42, 
except  when  it  is  to  be  set  in  a  stall,  in  which  case 

„ ,  the  curtain  ring  and 

curtains  may  be 
omitted  and  the  side 
walls  of  the  stalls 
shown.  If  a  fixture  of 
this  description  is  to  be 
installed  without  a  re- 
ceptor, the  lines  indi- 
cating this  part  of  the 
combination  can  be  omitted  from  the  drawings  and 
the  floor  beneath  shown  sloping 
to  where  the  drain  is  located. 
Once  a  symbol  has  been  adopted 
in  architectural  practice  it  can  be 
changed  and  modified  at  any  time 

to  adopt  it  to  new  or  changed 

conditions,  and  still  bear  sufficient  Fig.  45 

resemblance  to  the  original  to  be  Plan  sy^^i  for  siop  sink 
distinguishable  and  represent  the  fixture  or  appa- 
ratus it  is  intended  to  indicate.  These  remarks 
will  apply  equally  to  all  of  the  symbols  suggested. 

19 


Fig.  44 
Elevation  Symbol  for  Sink 


v  v 

X 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


It  is  often  better  to  follow  the  main  features  of  the 
symbol,  changing  it  to  suit  the  place  or  conditions, 
than  to  follow  slavishly  the  design  presented. 

Sinks  may  be  shown  with  or 
without  drip  boards.    When  they 
are  to  have  drip  boards,  they  may 
be  drawn  in  plan,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  43.     If  without  drip  boards, 
~~  J  the  lines  indicating  the  drip  board 
may  be  omitted  and  the  end  of 
the  sink  now  covered  by  the  drip 
>-—  — -/    board  may  be  finished   on   the 

drawing  like  the  opposite  end  of 
the  sink.  Sometimes  sinks  are 
placed  in  an  angle  of  the  room, 
and  a  drip  board  turned  around 
the  angle,  at  other  times  sinks 
are  set  in  re- 
cesses. In  any 

such  cases  the  symbol  can  be  modi- 
fied to  meet  the  new  conditions. 
To  show  a  sink  in  elevation,  the 
symbol  illus- 
trated in  Fig. 
44  may  be 
used.  As  in 
the  case  of  the 
plan  view,  the 
47  drip  board 

pian  symbol  for  unnai  may  be  omit- 
ted  when  the  sink  is  to  be  installed  without  one. 
Slop  sinks  vary  greatly  in  design,  but  they  may  all 
be  conventionally  indicated  in  plan,  as  shown  in 

20 


Fig.  46 

Elevation  Symbol  for 
Slop  Sink 


Fig.  48 

Elevation  Symbol 
for  Urinal 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Fig.  45,  while  the  elevation  of  a  slop  sink  may  be 
illustrated  as  in  Fig.  46.  If  necessary,  however, 
to  detail  the  fixtures  in  a  group  of  which  a  slop  sink 
forms  one,  the  supplies,  and  flush  tank,  if  there  be 


BATH 


Fig.  49 

Plan  Symbol  for 
Sitz  Bath 


Fig.  50 

Elevation  Symbol  for 
Sitz  Bath 


one,  should  be  shown,  and  pipe  should  be  included 
in  the  detail 

When  stall  urinals  with  water  flowing  down 
the  back  slab  are  to  be  installed  they  can  be  indi- 
cated on  the  plans  by  drawing  in  the  stall  slabs  and 
showing  the  floor  slabs  with  gutter  at  the  back  and 
drain  grooves  leading  into  the  gutter.  In  elevation 


FOOT  BATH 


Fig.  51 

Plan  Symbol  for 
Foot  Bath 


Fig.  52 

Elevation  Symbol  for 
Foot  Bath 


all  that  is  necessary  to  show  are  the  stalls,  with 
the  perforated  pipe  or  other  spraying  devise  at  the 
back.  Of  course,  stall  urinals  will  be  detailed,  un- 
less stock  goods  are  used,  when  they  may  be  suf- 

21 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


ficiently  described  in  the  specifications  by  referring 
to  the  catalogue  where  they  are  listed.  Ordinary 
urinal  bowls,  may  be  shown  in  plan  as  illustrated 
in  Fig.  47.  In  elevation  they  may  be  indicated  as 
shown  in  Fig.  48.  Sitz  baths  are  a 
frequent  bath  room  fixture,  so  that 
symbols  must  be  used  to  designate 
them.  The  plan  view  of  a  sitz  bath 
may  be  seen  in  Fig.  49,  and  an  ele- 
vation of  the  same  fixture  in  Fig. 
50.  The  plan  view  of  a  sitz  bath 
looks  so  much  like  the  plan  view  of 
a  foot  bath,  that  it  is  well  to  mark 
each  symbol  with  the  name  of  the 
fixture,  by  placing  the  lettering  in 
the  respective  illustrations. 

The  symbol  for  the  plan  of  a  foot  bath  can  be 
seen  in  Fig.  51,  and  a  symbol  for  the  elevation  of 
the  same  fixture  may  be  seen  in  Fig.  52. 

The  elevation  of  a  foot  bath  bears  some  re- 
semblance to  the  end  view  of  a  bath  tub,  but  is  not 

A  yy 


Fig.  53 

Elevation  Symbol 
for  Child's  Bath 


V J 


Fig.  54 
Plan  Symbol  for  Bidet 


Fig.  55 
Elevation  Symbol  for  Bidet 


so  rounded  on  the  bottom.  However,  if  there  is 
cause  to  believe  at  any  time  that  there  is  danger  of 
confusion  or  ambiguity,  the  foot  bath  had  better  be 
marked  with  letters  stating  what  it  is.  A  child's 

22 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Fig.  56 

Plan  Symbol  for 
Laundry  Tray 


Fig.  57 

Elevation  Symbol 
for  Laundry  Tray 


bath  tub  cannot  be  distinguished  in  plan  from  a  foot 
bath,  so  the  one  symbol  will  answer  for  the  two  fix- 
tures. The  name  of  the  fixture,  however,  should  be 
printed  on  the  symbol  in  each  case. 
A  child's  bath  may  be  shown  in  ele- 
vation as  indicated 
in  Fig.  53.  •  There  is 
not  much  likelihood 
of  this  fixture  being 
mistaken  for  any- 
thing else.  Bidets 
are  shown  in  plan  by 
the  symbol  illustrated  in  Fig.  54,  and 
in  side  elevation  by  the  symbol 
shown  in  Fig.  55.  If  an  end  elevation  is  to  be 
shown,  the  side  elevation  may  be  shortened  to  one- 
half  the  length,  and  the  supply  fit- 
tings shown  at  the  side,  instead  of 
the  waste  fitting,  indicated  in  the 
illustration.  Single  laundry  tubs 

are  seldom  shown, 

but,  when  they  are, 

\V  JJ  may  ^e  indicated  in 
\S— . ^V  plan  as  illustrated  in 
Fig.  56,  and  in  eleva- 
tion as  shown  in  Fig. 
57.  Batteries  of 
tubs  are  indicated  by  drawing  the 
number  of  symbols  required,  side 
by  side. 

Drinking  fountains  may  be  either  the  ordinary 
type  set  against  a  wall  and  supplied  with  water 
through  a  faucet,  or  bubble  drinking  fountains. 

23 


Fig.  58 

Plan  Symbol  for 
Drinking  Fountain 


Fig.  59 

Elevation  Symbol  for 
Drinking  Fountain 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


The  manner  of  showing  an  ordinary  drinking 
fountain,  in  plan,  is  indicated  in  Fig.  58,  and  an 
elevation  of  the  same  type  of  fixture  is  shown  in 
Fig.  59.  Bubble  drinking  fountains  are  shown,  in 
plan,  as  indicated  in  Fig.  60,  and  the  elevation  is 
indicated  as  shown  in  Fig.  61. 

The  foregoing  symbols,  while  they 
might  not  cover  every  form  of  device 
entering  into  plumbing  practice, 
nevertheless  are  sufficiently  complete 
for  general  use.  If  at  any  time  a  sym- 
bol is  required  to  represent 
a  new  type  of  fixture,  or 
form  of  device,  it  can  be 
made  as  in  the  foregoing 
examples,  by  drawing  an 
outline  of  the  figure  to  be 
Fountain  represented,  bearing  in 

mind  that  the  drawing  must  be  simple,  

without  unnecessary  curved  lines,  and       Fig.  6i 
easy  to  make  by  any  draftsman.  Elevation  symbol 

The  general  adoption  by  architects  fpountafeT 
of  the  symbols  herein  suggested  will  be 
found  beneficial  in  many  ways.  There  is  no  good 
reason  why  standard  symbols  should  not  be  used  to 
indicate  plumbing  work,  the  same  as  for  indicating 
stairs,  doors,  windows  and  other  details  of  building 
plans.  At  the  present  time,  however,  no  uniform- 
ity of  practice  exists  among  draftsmen,  and  the  re- 
sult is  that  plans  turned  out  by  the  various  offices 
differ  so  in  their  plumbing  symbols,  and  the 
methods  used  for  indicating  plumbing  work,  that 
they  lead  to  much  confusion  in  the  plumbing  trade. 

24 


CHAPTER  II 


USUAL   TYPE    OF 
PLUMBING   PLAN 


>AYOUT  of  Plumbing  Systems.—  At 

the  present  time,  the  location  of  the 
plumbing  fixtures  throughout  the  vari- 
ous floors  of  a  proposed  building  is  all 
that  is  shown  to  guide  the  plumber  in 
the  usual  set  of  plumbing  plans.  In  cities  having 
plumbing  codes,  progress  is  carried  a  little  further, 
and,  to  comply  with  the  requirements  of  the  build- 
ing department,  a  conventional  set  of  drawings  is 
prepared  showing,  in  a  general  way,  the  layout  of 
the  drainage  system.  No  effort  is  made  in  these 
drawings  to  show  the  water-supply  pipes,  or  details 
of  installation  for  groups  of  fixtures,  nor  is  the 
layout  of  the  drainage  system  all  that  could  be  de- 
sired. This  part  of  the  work  is  looked  upon  usually 
as  a  routine  necessity,  and  anything  which  will  be 
accepted  by  the  building  department  is  considered 
good  enough  for  the  purpose.  The  building  de- 
partment, on  the  other  hand,  can  only  require  the 
filing  of  plans  showing  a  sanitary  installation  equal 
to  the  standard  they  set,  and  which  is  the  lowest 

25 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


4"Le.acte>>*3 

J2"Leode? 


4  Leader 
*  T\  R5T-TLC3DR  >  PLAN  — 


Fig.  62 
Showing  Usual  Type  of  Plumbing  Plan 


26 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

permissible.  The  niceties  of  design  and  economy 
of  material  are  no  more  their  concern  than  is  the 
plainness  or  beauty  of  the  walls  of  a  building,  so 
long  as  they  are  of  the  required  strength  and  thick- 
ness. It  follows,  therefore,  that  the  plan  of  a 
plumbing  installation  does  not  have  to  be  of  the 
best  in  order  to  be  approved  by  the  building  de- 
partment, and  having  received  their  approval  does 
not  signify  that  improvement  cannot  be  made  in 
the  layout,  time  and  material  cannot  be  saved,  and 
that  a  fuller,  more  complete,  and  much  clearer, 
plan  and  specification  cannot  be  prepared  than  the 
one  submitted. 

It  is  as  necessary  to  prepare  a  separate  plumb- 
ing plan  as  it  is  to  make  a  set  of  drawings  to  show 
the  heating  plant,  elevators  or  refrigeration  system, 
and  it  would  be  just  as  logical  to  merely  indicate 
the  elevator  shafts  without  showing  details  of  the 
cars  and  enclosures  as  to  simply  indicate  the  loca- 
tion of  the  plumbing  fixtures.  No  undertaking  of 
any  importance  can  be  satisfactorily  and  economi- 
cally carried  out,  without  first  working  the  under- 
taking out  thoroughly  in  the  office,  and  preparing 
plans,  and  details  to  show  and  describe  fully  the 
various  requirements;  and  plumbing  work  is  no  ex- 
ception from  that  general  law. 

Example  of  the  Usual  Plumbing  Plans.— The 
usual  plumbing  plan  prepared  as  a  guide  for  the 
estimator  and  contractor,  consists,  in  addition  to 
the  floor  plans  showing  the  location  of  the  various 
fixtures,  of  a  conventional  elevation,  trying  to  show 
in  a  general  way  the  principal  features  of  the  in- 

27 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

stallation.  In  order  to  show  all  the  fixtures,  how- 
ever, they,  as  well  as  the  entire  drainage  systems, 
are  indicated  as  being  on  the  one  plane,  regardless 
of  the  fact  that  they  are  actually  located  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  building.  An  example  of  a  con- 
ventional set  of  plans,  showing  the  layout  of  plumb- 
ing fixtures  on  the  first,  second  and  third  floors,  is 
illustrated  in  Figs.  62,  63  and  64,  and  shown  in  the 
sectional  elevation,  Fig.  65.  These  drawings  may 
be  accepted  as  fairly  representative  of  plans  used 
in  practice  and  prepared  by  a  sanitary  engineer,  or 
an  architect,  and  show  the  incomplete  and  unsatis- 
factory method  of  planning  the  plumbing  in  build- 
ings. By  examining  the  elevation,  Fig.  65,  care- 
fully it  will  be  seen  how  impossible  it  is  to  gain  a 
clear  idea  of  the  actual  layout  and  run  of  the  several 
pipes,  and  how  worse  than  useless  to  attempt  to 
find  the  quantity  of  material  required  by  scaling 
the  drawing,  or  arriving  at  a  correct  estimate  of 
the  kind  and  number  of  fittings  by  counting  them. 
Furthermore,  there  is  nothing  on  the  set  of  draw- 
ings to  indicate  that  water  supply  is  a  feature  of 
the  plumbing  installation  or  that  would  enable  the 
plumber  to  estimate  the  quantity  of  piping  or  labor 
of  installing  same;  so  far,  then,  as  being  a  guide  to 
the  estimator  is  concerned,  or  as  showing  unmis- 
takably how  the  work  is  to  be  installed,  this  sec- 
tional drawing  is  utterly  worthless,  and  might  just 
as  well  have  been  omitted.  For  the  purpose  of 
filing  with  the  Department  of  Health  it  might  prove 
satisfactory,  as  indicating  that  all  fixtures  are 
trapped  and  vented  and  otherwise  conform  to  the 
requirements  of  the  code.  But  even  such  points 

•29 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specification 


•-SECTIONAL- ELEVATION -Or-PLUMBlNG-* 


Fig.  65 
Showing  Usual  Sectional  Elevation  of  Plumbing 


31 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

can  better  be  shown  by  detail  drawings,  and  the 
actual  ^working  drawings  for  the  estimator  and 
contractor  can  likewise  be  used  for  filing  with  the 
building  department.  Usually,  plans  of  the  fore- 
going description  have  a  cellar  or  basement  floor 
plan  showing  more  or  less  clearly  the  various  runs 
of  pipe  included  in  the  house  drain.  In  so  far  they 
do  not  differ  much  from  the  improved  type  of 
plumbing  plans  about  to  be  described,  for  which 
reason  the  cellar  plan  of  the  foregoing  set  was 
omitted. 


32 


CHAPTER  III 


IMPROVED    TYPE   OF 
PLUMBING    PLANS 


N  the  improved  method  of  showing 
plumbing  work  on  plans,  the  old 
method  followed  in  designing  the  su- 
perstructure of  the  building,  is  adopt- 
ed. That  is,  general  plans  are  pre- 
pared showing  the  layout  and  relation  of  the  various 
parts,  and  special  drawings  are  prepared  to  show 
details  of  various  parts  of  the  work.  A  full  and 
complete  set  of  drawings  of  a  plumbing  installation 
consists  of  the  various  floor  plans  from  subbase- 
ment  to  roof,  and  one  or  more  details  showing  the 
elevation  of  different  lines.  If  the  layout  of  two 
or  more  floors  are  alike,  one  print  will  suffice  for 
these  several  floors,  that  fact  being  conspicuously 
printed  on  the  sheet.  Each  floor  plan  should  show 
clearly  not  only  the  rising  lines  of  soil,  waste  and 
vent  pipes,  but  the  hot,  cold  and  circulation  risers 
as  well,  and  where  pipes  are  offset  or  cross  under 
a  floor  that  fact  may  be  indicated  by  dotted  lines. 
In  preparing  plumbing  plans,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
make  as  full  and  complete  a  set  of  drawings  as  for 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

the  general  set  of  plans,  for  the  plumbing  plans 
will  be  interpreted  in  connection  with  the  general 
plans  and  need  be  only  an  outline  drawing  showing 
the  various  walls  and  partitions,  together  with  the 
location  of  elevator  machinery,  boilers,  heating 
apparatus,  refrigeration  plant  and  other  like  ma- 
chinery in  the  cellar  and  subbasement,  so  that 
plumbing  pipes  will  not  be  placed  in  locations  where 
they  would  interfere  with  the  installation  of  other 
apparatus. 

For  cottages  or  other  small  buildings  where  the 
plumbing  work  is  comparatively  simple,  the  plumb- 
ing layout  can  be  marked  on  the  general  plans 
without  necessitating  too  many  lines. 

Detail  Drawings. — Wherever  a  number  of 
plumbing  fixtures  are  grouped  together  in  a  build- 
ing, the  various  soil,  waste,  vent  and  supply  pipes 
will  cross  and  recross  one  another  in  various  direc- 
tions. If  the  location  of  the  stacks,  rising  lines  of 
supply  pipes  and  fixtures  is  alone  indicated,  the 
work  of  arranging  the  pipes  will  devolve  upon  the 
workman  who  installs  them.  In  complete  plans, 
however,  the  arrangement,  point  and  manner  of 
crossing  of  the  various  pipes,  the  kind  of  fittings 
to  use  and  the  manner  of  supporting  the  stacks  are 
studied  out  in  the  office,  and  details  made  showing 
the  roughing-in  of  the  various  groups.  Details  of 
crooked  stacks  which  require  offsetting;  the  group- 
ing of  pump,  suction  tank,  meters  and  filters  in  the 
basement;  house  tanks  and  connections  on  the  roof; 
manifold  connections  for  water  supply,  and  all 
other  parts  of  the  drainage  system,  should  be  stud- 

34 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

led  out  in  the  office,  the  various  proportions  ascer- 
tained and  the  complete  data  worked  up  into  large 
size  details  to  serve  as  a  guide  in  estimating  on  the 
work  and  installing  the  system. 

In  order  to  make  clear  the  requirements  in  this 
direction  a  set  of  plumbing  plans  and  details,  from 
practice,  is  here  reproduced,  both  as  a  guide  to 
others  in  preparing  plumbing  plans,  and  to  show, 
by  contrast  with  the  usual  method  now  generally 
followed,  how  much  more  full  complete  and  satis- 
factory is  the  new  method  here  recommended,  over 
the  old  method  with  its  incomplete  data  and  con- 
ventional elevation. 

EXAMPLE   OF   NEW   METHOD 
PLUMBING   PLANS 

Floor  Plans. — An  example  of  new  method 
plumbing  plans  is  given  in  the  three  following 
illustrations.  The  building  illustrated,  which  is  a 
hotel  in  Cuba,  is  selected  because  it  is  simple  and 
the  various  points  about  the  work  can  be  better 
explained  than  if  the  work  were  more  complicated. 
There  are  many  things  about  the  work,  however, 
which  cannot  be  commended,  but,  in  order  to  com- 
ply with  the  plumbing  code  of  Havana,  or  the  re- 
quirements of  the  owner,  they  had  to  be  incorpo- 
rated or  omitted,  as  the  case  may  be.  For  instance, 
all  the  sewage  from  the  entire  building  discharges 
into  afosa  moura,  which  is  a  sort  of  septic  tank, 
patterned  after  Louis  Moura' s  Automatic  Scaven- 
ger. Had  this  receptacle  been  omitted  and  the 

35 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

sewage  discharged  direct  into  the  public  sewer, 
the  installation  would  have  been  simpler  and  better. 
Examining  the  plumbing  work  in  detail,  it  will 
be  observed  that,  by  keeping  in  mind  the  symbols 
used  to  indicate  plumbing,  every  part  of  the  instal- 
lation is  made  perfectly  clear.  The  drainage  sys- 
tem, it  will  be  noted  in  Fig.  66,  is  made  of  cast-iron 
hub-and-spigot  pipe,  which  is  represented  by  two 
parallel  lines,  and  the  hubs  marked  at  suitable 
intervals.  Observe,  also,  the  directness  with  which 
all  the  branches  are  run,  and  how  they  all  converge 
toward  the  outlet  to  the  main  drain.  Where  rising 
stacks  are  to  be  installed,  they  are  indicated  by 
circles,  and  the  size  and  designation  of  the  stacks 
are  marked.  Designating  stacks  by  letter,  as  A, 
B,  C,  or  by  numbers,  will  be  found  convenient  for 
reference  at  any  time,  and  for  detailing,  as  will  be 
explained  later  on.  The  locations  of  cleanouts  are 
clearly  indicated,  as  are  the  number  and  location  of 
floor  drains.  Altogether,  the  horizontal  part  of  the 
drainage  system  is  so  fully  laid  out  that  an  esti- 
mator can  easily  scale  the  drawings  and  find  out 
what  quantity  of  each  size  of  pipe  will  be  required 
for  this  part  of  the  work,  and  by  counting  can  de- 
termine the  number  and  kind  of  fittings  that  will 
be  required.  There  is  no  basement  or  cellar  below 
this  ground  floor,  so  that  the  drain  pipes  are  buried 
in  the  earth.  If  located  above  ground,  supports 
would  be  shown  in  their  proper  places.  Rain  lead- 
ers are  not  indicated  on  the  drawings  because  they 
discharge  separately  on  the  surface  of  the  ground 
or  into  another  system  of  drains. 

36 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

After  the  drainage  system  is  marked  on  the 
plan,  if  the  building  be  a  large  one,  where  a  large 
quantity  of  water  will  be  used,  the  sizes  of  the 
various  branches  and  of  the  main  drain  should  be 
calculated  and  marked  alongside  of  the  pipes.  In 
ordinary  cottage  buildings,  or  other  moderate  sized 
dwellings,  3-inch  stacks  of  soil  pipe  may  be  used, 
and  3-inch  main  drains,  where  rain  water  is  ex- 
cluded. If,  however,  the  rain  leaders  are  connec- 
ted to  the  drainage  system,  the  main  drain  should 
be  4-inches  in  diameter. 

Before  laying  out  the  ground  work  it  is,  of 
course,  necessary  to  locate  the  points  where  the 
stacks  of  soil  and  waste  pipe  will  be  installed. 
This  will  be  done  by  finding  the  most  out  of  the 
way  places  in  which  the  stacks  can  be  run  to  the 
various  toilet  or  bath  rooms,  where  at  the  same 
time  they  will  be  convenient  for  roughing-in  the 
fixtures,  and  locating  them  in  such  places.  If  there 
is  some  latitude  in  this  respect,  that  is,  if  the  stack 
of  soil  pipe  can  be  run  equally  well  in  one  of  several 
places,  that  location  should  be  selected,  which  will 
permit  of  best  arrangement  of  fixtures  with  the 
least  expenditure  of  time  and  material.  Having 
the  rising  points  of  the  various  stacks,  the  plumb- 
ing layout  should  be  drawn  to  give  the  various 
drains  the  most  direct  •runs  possible.  In  drawing 
the  drain  pipes  it  should  be  remembered  to  have 
the  hubs  of  the  pipes  on  the  up-grade  ends  of  the 
lengths. 

When  the  drainage  system  is  marked  on  plans, 
there  ends,  usually,  all  effort  to  show  the  plumbing 
system.  The  water  supply,  which  is  of  equal,  if 

37 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

not  greater,  importance  than  the  drainage  system 
from  an  engineering  standpoint,  is  so  seldom 
shown  that  it  might  be  stated  as  never  being  in- 
cluded. Indeed,  it  is  only  when  plumbing  plans 
are  prepared  by  a  sanitary  engineer  that  the  water 
supply  systems  are  indicated.  The  object  of 
plumbing  plans,  however,  is  to  show  fully  what 
materials  are  to  be  furnished  and  what  labor  per- 
formed, and  that  cannot  be  satisfactorily  done  if 
the  greater  part  of  the  work  is  omitted  from  the 
plans  and  dismissed  from  the  specifications  with 
the  brief  statement  that  "each  fixture  will  be  sup- 
plied with  cold  water  or  with  hot  and  cold  water, 
as  required."  To  obtain  satisfactory  results  on  a 
big  installation,  not  only  must  the  system  to  be 
adopted  be  fully  studied  out  and  marked  on  draw- 
ings, but  the  sizes  of  the  various  pipes  should  be 
carefully  calculated,  so  that  they  will  be  sufficient- 
ly large  for  their  several  purposes.  In  the  present 
instance,  the  hot  water  must  be  drawn  from  the 
hot  water  faucet  at  each  fixture  when  the  faucet  is 
opened.  That  necessitates  a  circulation  pipe,  and 
for  convenience  in  installing  the  system,  as  well  as 
to  have  the  entire  system  controlled  from  a  central 
point,  manifold  headers  are  installed  and  each  set 
of  risers  is  piped  direct  from  the  manifolds.  In 
order  that  each  pipe  may  be  distinguished  from  the 
others  and  traced  from  beginning  to  end,  the  hot, 
cold  and  circulation  pipes  are  indicated  by  different 
kinds  of  lines,  and  the  key  to  each  may  be  found 
marked  on  the  bottom  of  the  drawing.  The  service 
pipe  can  be  traced  from  where  it  enters  the  build- 
ing, through  the  filter,  meters,  and  into  the  suction 


Plumbing    Plansand    Specifications 


PI.AN  OF-  PUUMBINS  •  INSTALLATION  - 

<-  IN  TffE  - 
»5ANTIAGO,  -    HAVANA  ,  C\JBA   - 


HOT  WATER. 

CIRCULATION. 

COLD-WATT^, 


Fig.  66 
A  New  Method  Ground  Floor  Plan 

39 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

tank.  From  the  suction  tank  it  can  be  traced 
through  the  pump  to  the  pump  riser  to  tank  on 
roof.  In  short,  so  fully  are  the  water  pipes  marked 
on  the  plan  that,  by  scaling  them,  an  estimator  can 
determine  the  exact  amount  of  each  size  of  pipe 
and  the  number  and  kind  of  fitting  which  will  be 
required  for  the  horizontal  runs,  and  can  calculate 
quite  accurately  the  amount  of  work  required  to 
install  them.  Besides  the  drainage  system  and 
water  pipes,  the  water  filter,  water  meters,  suction 
tank,  pump,  water  heater  and  hot  water  tank  are 
shown  in  their  respective  places  on  the  drawing. 
It  might  be  well  to  point  out  here  that  manifold 
headers  would  not  be  used  under  all  conditions  and 
in  different  types  of  buildings  than  the  one  under 
consideration.  Conditions  might  be  such  that  in- 
stead of  separate  connections  to  each  rising  line 
from  a  manifold  header  large  mains  might  be  run 
instead,  and  branches  taken  off  from  the  mains  for 
the  different  riser  connections.  After  the  runs  of 
the  various  water  pipes  are  marked  on  the  drawing, 
their  sizes  should  be  calculated,  regardless  of  the 
system  of  piping  used,  so  they  will  be  ample  for 
their  several  purposes.  At  the  same  time  the  size 
and  kind  of  service  connection  must  be  taken  into 
consideration  and  determined  upon.  If  the  service 
pipe  will  be  over  2  inches  in  diameter,  the  matter 
should  be  taken  up  with  the  water  company  to  see 
if  a  special  fitting  will  be  inserted  in  the  water 
main,  or  whether  a  multiple  connection  with  the 
equivalent  of  water  taps  in  the  main  will  have  to 
be  resorted  to.  Having  determined,  the  connection 
can  be  fully  covered  in  the  specifications. 


Plumbing    Plans   ^a  n  d    Specifications 


ig.  67 

New  Method  Upper-floor  Plan 

41 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

The  first,  second  and  third  floor  plans  for  this 
building  are  all  similar,  so  that  one  sheet,  Fig.  67, 
answers  for  the  three  floors.  All  that  is  indicated 
in  this  sheet,  outside  of  the  fixtures,  are  the  loca- 
tion of  the  various  soil,  waste  and  vent  stacks  and 
the  hot- water  and  cold-water  and  circulation  risers. 
It  is  useless  to  try  to  indicate  the  layout  of  pipes 
for  toilet  rooms  or  bath  rooms  on  the  general  floor 
plan,  so  the  best  practice  to  follow  is  the  method 
here  recommended  of  simply  showing  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  various  fixtures,  and  show  the  method 
of  running  the  pipes  to  them  on  a  separate  detail 
drawing.  It  will  be  observed  that  no  effort  was 
made  to  fill  in  the  plans  completely,  such  as  show- 
ing doors  and  other  structural  details  that  have  no 
relation  whatever  to  the  plumbing  work,  but  that 
simply  an  outline  drawing  was  made,  showing  the 
location  of  the  various  walls  and  partitions,  partic- 
ularly those  forming  the  rooms  where  plumbing 
fixtures  are  located.  Between  the  two  adjoining 
bath  rooms  it  will  be  observed  that  extra  wide 
partitions  are  shown,  so  that  all  the  soil,  waste  and 
vent  pipes  can  be  concealed  therein.  There  is  no 
good  reason  for  defacing  a  building  by  running  ex- 
posed a  network  of  plumbing  pipes,  or  by  provid- 
ing boxes  with  removable  covers  for  their  recep- 
tion. Once  the  drainage  system,  in  buildings  of 
moderate  height,  is  made  tight,  if  constructed  of 
suitable  materials,  it  will  remain  so  and  can  be  en- 
closed between  the  walls  of  a  partition  and  plas- 
tered over.  The  supply  pipes,  however,  should  be 
exposed,  or  accessible.  So  it  is  that  in  the  plan 
under  discussion  the  soil,  waste  and  vent  stacks  are 

42 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Venf.-O 


/     A«.-S--S.^\X     J 

L$W$.{ 

s  B»fc 


Vent.-? 


Vent*. 


I- 


(Vent:Q 


/\ 


HOTEL  •  vSAMTJAGo?  •  HAVANA  .-  COBA  .- 

~>-  <r-.y-co36H.ovE 


New  Method  Roof  Plan 
43 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

shown  concealed  inside  of  partitions  while  the  sup- 
ply pipes  are  run  in  one  of  the  bath  rooms  at  the 
head  of  the  tub. 

The  fourth  floor  of  this  building,  Fig.  68,  is 
partly  roof  garden,  or  open-air-dining-room.  In 
the  covered  portions  the  location  of  stacks  of  soil, 
waste  and  vent  pipes,  rising  lines  of  hot  water,  cold 
water  and  circulation  pipes,  and  the  kind  and  loca- 
tion of  fixtures  are  shown.  In  the  open  part  of  the 
floor  or  roof  the  locations  of  vent  pipes  are  indica- 
ted. In  addition  to  the  usual  materials  and  fixtures 
shown  on  this  plan,  the  house  tank  is  shown  in 
dotted  lines  in  one  angle  of  the  building  in  the 
location  it  will  occupy  above  the  roof  of  that  por- 
tion of  the  structure. 


44 


CHAPTER  IV 


PLUMBING   DETAILS 


EXAMPLES    OF    NEW    METHOD 
PLUMBING    DETAILS 

F,  instead  of  trying  to  show  all  the 
vertical  stacks,  branches  and  fixtures 
in  a  building  on  one  conventional  ele- 
vation, as  in  the  former  method  shown 
in  Fig.  65,  a  separate  detail  of  each 
stack  of  soil  pipe  be  made,  or  each  stack  that  dif- 
fers sufficiently  from  the  other  stacks  to  make  a 
separate  detail  advisable,  a  clear,  complete  layout 
of  the  work  will  be  had.  For  instance,  take  stack 
D,  on  the  plan  of  the  ground  floor,  Fig.  66.  Every 
foot  of  pipe  and  each  fitting  in  the  horizontal  drains 
can  be  counted  up  to  the  point  where  the  stack 
connects  into  the  horizontal  drain.  If,  now,  a  de- 
tail of  that  stack,  such  as  shown  in  Fig.  69,  be 
made,  the  pipe,  fittings,  lead,  oakum  and  hangers 
required  to  complete  the  stack  through  the  roof  can 
be  easily  ascertained.  Owing  to  the  layout  of  the 
various  bathrooms,  the  detail  of  this  stack  will  an- 
swer for  all  other  stacks  within  the  building,  with 
the  exception  that  the  other  stacks  for  outside  tiers 

45 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


'/ZON! 


of  bathrooms  will  not  require 
the  offset  on  the  third  floor  of 
the  building  and  the  stacks  for 
inside  tiers  of  bathrooms  will 
not  require  offsets  either  above 
the  third  floors  or  between  the 
ceiling  space  of  the  first  floor. 
This  latter  offset  is  made  neces- 
sary for  the  outside  tiers  of 
bathrooms  by  reason  of  an  ar- 
cade extending  around  two 
sides  of  the  building  and  im- 
mediately under  where  the 
tiers  of  bathrooms  are  located. 
In  designing  the  plumbing  for 
a  building  the  various  stacks 
which  differ  from  one  another 
should  be  drawn  out  in  detail, 
as  indicated  in  the  illustration 
and  marked  as  Detail  of  Stack 
A,  B,  or  whatever  line  it  is 
meant  to  represent.  That  is 
the  reason  it  is  convenient  to 
letter  the  various  rising  lines, 
so  that  they  can  easily  be 
traced  by  referring  to  the  cor- 
responding detail  of  the  line. 

In  some  installations  the 
roughing-in  for  the  toilet  rooms 
on  various  floors  can  be  shown 
in  connection  with  the  vertical 
Fig  69  stack,  but  owing  to  bathrooms 

Detail  of  son  and  Vent  stack  being  located  on  opposite  sides 

46 


Dtfaif  of  •Sfocfrs 

for  ow/3/afe  Ac.  1-3 
*f  Brfti  /f*>o~is 


T 


Plumbing    Plans'  and    Specifications 


Fig.  70 

Detail  Plan  of  Bathrooms 
47 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

of  this  stack,  such  a  detail  would  not  be  practicable. 

The  way  the  horizontal  piping  on  the  ground 

floor  and  the  vertical  stacks  are  to  be  run  has  now 

been  shown,  but  no  indication  has  yet  been  made 


-//"         ^'     U=3 


w///// 


a 

/s\ 

I  —  ._- 

'If 

rf 

Fig-.  71 
Detail  Elevation  of  Lead  Work  in  Bath  Rooms 

of  how  the  roughing-in  of  the  bathrooms  is  to  be 
done,  and  without  which  there  would  be  an  incom- 
pleteness of  the  plumbing  details.  The  roughing- 
in  of  the  bathrooms  is  shown  in  plan  in  Fig.  70,  and 

48 


Plumbing    Plan  sand    Specifications 


in  elevation  in  Fig.  71.  These  two  drawings  com- 
plete the  details  of  the  drainage  system,  and,  by 
scaling  them,  the  materials  required  can  be  accu- 
rately determined  and  the  work  necessary  to  install 
the  materials  estimated. 

Up  to  the  present  time  only  the  drainage  pipes 
have  been  shown  above  the  ground  floor  plan.  The 
fixtures  are  all  to  be  sup- 
plied with  hot  and  cold 
water,  however,  and  some 
indication  must  be  given 
the  prospective  estimator 
and  contractor  how  these 
pipes  are  to  be  run.  The 
rising  lines  of  hot  water, 
cold  water  and  the  circula- 
tion pipes  are  indicated  on 
the  various  floor  plans,  and 
the  supplies  to  the  various 
bathrooms  are  taken  off  as 
shown  in  the  detail,  Fig. 
72.  A  cross  fitting  is 
placed  both  in  the  hot 
water  and  in  the  cold  water 
pipes  and  turned  so  that 
one  branch  can  pass 
through  the  partition  to 
supply  water  to  the  adjoining  bathroom,  while  the 
other  branch  supplies  water  to  the  bathroom  in 
which  the  risers  are  located.  Escutcheons  are  pro- 
vided where  the  pipes  pass  through  the  wall  or 
ceiling,  and  the  supply  to  each  bathroom  is  con- 
trolled by  means  of  an  angle  valve.  The  layout  of 

49 


Fig.  72 

Detail  of  Connections  to  Water 
Pipes  in  Bathrooms 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


water  pipes  in  the  bathrooms  is  shown  in  Fig.  73, 
which  completes  the  details  of  water  supply  pipes 
so  fully  and  completely  that  they  can  be  traced 
from  where  the  main  enters  the  building  to  where 
they  end  at  the  several  fixtures. 

The  drainage  system  and  water  supply  pipes 
are  not  the  only  parts  of  the  plumbing  system 


I    I 


I 

.l^FloorPl&tes 


Fig.  73 
Detail  of  Water  Pipes  in  Bathrooms 

which  require  detailing,  however.  The  connec- 
tions to  the  house  tank  and  various  other  apparatus 
should  be  shown  also.  Connections  and  fittings  for 
the  house  tank  in  the  present  example  are  shown 
in  plan  in  Fig.  74  and  in  sectional  elevation  in  Fig. 
75.  Before  the  tank  can  be  detailed,  the  size  of 

50 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

tank  required  must  be  calculated,  as  well  as  the 
size  of  pipe  required  for  the  pump.  Having  de- 
termined the  size  of  tank,  the  size,  weight  and 
length  of  beams  required  for  its  support  must  be 
carefully  worked  out,  so  there  will  be  no  danger  of 
the  tank  failing  on  account  of  its  poor  support. 
The  condition  and  thickness  of  the  walls  on  which 


/5 


Fig.  74 
Plan  Detail  of  Water  Tank 

the  tank  will  rest  must  further  be  taken  into  ac- 
count, and  the  exposure  to  winds  as  well  as  the 
wind  pressure  will  enter  into  the  load  that  must  be 
supported  in  addition  to  the  dead  weight  of  tank 
and  water.  When  the  data  required  is  all  worked 
out,  the  various  sizes  and  dimensions  can  be  marked 
on  the  details.  In  many  buildings  which  require  a 

51 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


specially  large  water  supply,  special  provision  must 
be  made  for  supporting  the  house  tank. 

If  the  water  supply  is  for  a  factory,  or  other 
type  of  low  building,  not  many  stories  in  height,  a 
special  tower  for  the  support  of  the  water  tank 
may  be  erected  in  the  yard,  or  a  stand  pipe  may  be 
built  for  the  purpose.  In  other  kinds  of  buildings, 
extra  thick  walls  may  be  required  to  support  the 
tank,  or  instead,  reinforcing  abutments,  steel  frame 


•  "Overflow. 


m\\  m      «     BII  \m      m   lira      B 


Fig.  75 
Elevation  Detail  of  House  Tank 

work  or  some  other  form  of  device  may  be  resorted 
to.  In  some  cases  a  rectangular  tower  of  masonry 
is  made  part  of  the  structure,  having  been  design- 
ed especially  as  a  support  for  the  house  tank. 

In  Fig.  76  is  shown  in  elevation  a  view  of  the 
manifold  headers,  the  hot,  cold  and  circulation 
water  supply  connections,  valves,  drain  pipes  and 
hot  water  and  circulation  connections  to  the  hot 

52 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


water  tank.  In  Fig.  77  will  be  found  an  end  ele- 
vation of  the  manifold  headers  and  the  various 
connections.  The  pump  connections,  suction  tanks, 
meters  and  filter  are  so  clearly  shown  on  the  plans 
and  so  fully  covered  in  the  specifications  that  de- 
tails are  not  required  for  them,  al- 
though, ordinarily,  details  would  be 
desirable.  In  the  case  of  the  plans 
under  discussion  comparatively  few 
details  were  necessary,  chiefly  owing 
to  the  fact  that  the  bath  rooms  are 
practically  duplicates  of  one  another  so 
that  one  set  of  details  answered  for 
the  entire  building.  In  other  build- 
ings, however,  where  there  are  numer- 
ous groups  of  fixtures  each  differing 
from  the  others,  a  complete  set  of  de- 
tails, covering  the  drainage,  vent,  hot 
and  cold  water  pipes  should  be  pre- 
pared for  each  group.  It  might  be 
possible  in  some  cases  to  combine  the 
water-supply  details,  and  drainage- 
pipe  details  for  each  group  on  one  set 
of  drawings.  When,  however,  that  would  compli- 
cate the  detail  to  such  an  extent  that  it  would  lack 
in  clearness,  the  better  plan  would  be  to  make 
separate  details  of  both  the  water  supply  and  the 
drainage  work,  as  was  done  in  the  present  example. 


Fig.  77 

End  Detail  of 
Manifold 


54 


CHAPTER 


DRAWING  PLUMBING  PLANS 


EFORE  a  designer  can  satisfactorily 
plan  the  plumbing  for  a  building,  he 
must  know  fully  how  plumbing  work 
should  be  done,  and  be  perfectly  famil- 
iar with  the  principals  and  practice  of 
the  calling.  It  stands  to  reason  that  a  success  can- 
not be  made  of  the  effort,  if  he  does  not  know  how 
or  where  the  pipes  should  be  run,  cannot  figure  or 
otherwise  determine  their  several  capacities,  and 
does  not  understand  the  principles  of  operation  of 
the  numerous  devices  used  in  plumbing.  He  should 
keep  posted  on  new  improvements  as  they  are 
placed  on  the  market,  and  be  able  to  judge  accu- 
rately of  their  value  from  the  principles  on  which 
they  are  constructed  and  the  function  they  are  to 
fulfill;  and,  in  the  matter  of  fixtures,  he  should  be 
informed,  so  that  he  can  select  the  right  kind  for 
the  several  different  classes  of  buildings. 

The  idea  of  plumbing  plans  and  details,  is  to 
work  out  everything  in  the  office,  and  put  it  on 
paper  in  such  a  clear  and  simple  manner  that  an 
ordinary  workman  can  follow  it  without  effort,  yet 
at  the  same  time  so  fully,  that  nothing  will  be 

55 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

omitted  or  overlooked  by  the  estimator  and  con- 
tractor. 

Framing  for  Plumbing  Pipes. — The  runs  of  all 
pipes  both  large  and  small,  should  be  fully  laid  out, 
before  work  is  commenced  on  a  building,  so  that 
as  the  carpenters  proceed  with  the  framing  of  a 
building,  they  can  frame  around  where  pipes  will 
be  located,  and  leave  spaces  for  the  lead  roughing 
in  the  toilet  and  bath  rooms,  following  details  fur- 
nished by  the  architect.  This  is  a  matter  entirely 
overlooked  in  frame  buildings,  with  the  result  that 
in  every  bathroom,  cutting  and  framing  must  be 
done  to  accommodate  the  soil  and  waste  pipes,  after 
the  building  is  practically  finished.  A  little  care 
and  forethought  on  the  part  of  the  designer  in  fur- 
nishing details  of  the  framing  around  the  bath- 
rooms for  the  carpenter  would  obviate  all  after 
hacking  and  hewing,  and  be  not  only  more  econ- 
omical but  likewise  more  satisfactory  all  around. 

The  importance  of  making  provision  for  the 
plumbing  pipes  become  almost  a  necessity  in  rein- 
forced concrete  buildings,  for,  if  openings  are  not 
left  where  pipes  have  to  pass  from  floor  to  floor, 
the  cutting  necessitated  will  not  only  increase  the 
cost  of  running  the  stacks  from  50%  to  75%  but  is 
liable  furthermore  to  weaken  the  structure  by  cut- 
ting through  some  of  the  reinforcing  rods.  The 
aim  of  the  designer  therefore  should  be  to  study 
out  before  hand,  just  where  each  run  and  stack  of 
pipe  will  be  located,  then  furnish  details  for  the 
carpenter  or  mason  as  the  case  might  be,  to  guide 
him  in  making  provision  for  the  pipes. 

56 


Plumbing    Plans'and    Specifications 

Arranging  Fixtures  in  the  Bathroom.— Before 

the  location  of  stacks  can  be  accurately  determined, 
it  will  be  found  necessary  to  lay  out  in  the  several 
bathrooms  just  where  each  fixture  will  be  placed. 
Ordinarily  this  is  done  by  drawing  in  with  pencil  a 
tentative  arrangement,  then  if  not  satisfactory, 
rearranging  them  and  trying  again,  keeping  at  that 
practice  until  a  satisfactory  arrangement  is  secured. 
A  quicker  and  much  easier  method  is  to  make  a  set 
of  fixture  symbols,  drawn  to  the  scale  of  the  plan, 
color  them  with  india  ink,  and  with  these  little 
movable  pieces  quickly  shift  them  from  place  to 
place  until  the  right  arrangement  is  found,  then 
draw  in  permanently  on  the  plans.  Little  tem- 
plets of  this  kind,  for  the  three  usual  fixtures  in  a 
bathroom,  water  closet,  bath  tub,  and  lavatory,  can 
easily  be  made  in  i-inch  and  i-inch  scales,  and  be 
kept  handy  for  ready  use  at  anytime. 

Scale  Drawings  of  Bathrooms.— The  symbols 
given  in  a  preceeding  chapter  are  intended  princi- 
pally for  scales  of  i-inch  or  larger.  The  general 
outline  of  the  fixtures  can  be  used  for  drawings  to 
scale  as  low  as  i-inch  per  foot,  but  much  of  the 
detail  will  have  to  be  omitted  in  such  cases.  In 
order  that  the  difference  may  be  seen  comparative- 
ly, two  plans  of  a  bathroom  are  here  reproduced, 
one,  Fig.  78,  being  drawn  to  J-inch  scale,  and  the 
other,  Fig.  79,  drawn  to  J-inch  scale.  It  will  be 
observed  that  the  only  difference  between  the  sym- 
bols used  in  the  two  drawings  lies  in  the  fact  that 
at  the  smaller  scale  the  trimmings  have  been  omit- 
ted from  the  bath  tub  and  lavatory. 

57 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


I 


///////^//////////^^^^ 


I 


Q'-O"- 


Y/ZZ/ZZ/s 


V=  1  Foot; 


Fig  78 
:/^-Scale  Drawing  of  Bathroom 


58 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


"=*  IFbotr- 


Fig.  79 
H-Scale  Drawing  of  Bathroom 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

Photographic  Prints  for  the  Contractor.— For 

estimating,  the  contractor  will  require  a  full  and 
complete  set  of  drawings  made  to  scale.  For  use 
as  a  guide  installing  the  work  however,  all  that  is 
necessary  is  something  to  show  the  layout  and  rnns 
of  the  various  stacks  and  branches,  and  the  loca- 
tion and  arrangement  of  various  fixtures.  This  in- 
formation of  course  can  be  had  from  the  plans,  but 
large  scale  drawings  are  inconvenient  to  handle  in 
a  building,  and  soon  become  worn  and  the  lines 
obliterated  by  use.  A  better  practice  is  to  provide 
the  foreman  with  photographic  prints  of  the  trac- 
ings, which  need  not  be  larger  than  8x10  inches 
for  a  building  of  the  largest  size.  These  prints 
can  be  fastened  to  a  board,  or  easily  rolled  up  and 
carried  in  the  pocket,  while  the  cost  of  making 
them  is  less  than  that  for  full  size  blue  prints. 


60 


PART 


PLUMBING  SPECIFICATIONS 


CHAPTER  VI 


WRITING    PLUMBING    SPECIFICATIONS 

UNCTION  of  Specifications. -Plumb- 
ing plans  show  only  the  quantity,  ex- 
tent and  layout  of  the  work,  but  give 
no  indication  as  to  the  character  of  the 
goods  to  be  used  or  the  quality  or  make 
of  the  fixtures;  consequently  a  description  or  speci- 
fication must  accompany  the  plans  to  make  clear 
the  requirements  not  shown  or  indicated.  For 
instance,  where  water-closets  are  shown  on  plans, 
in  the  absence  of  an  express  description  of  what 
kind  of  closet  is  to  be  used,  any  fixture,  from  the 
cheapest  hopper  to  the  most  expensive  syphon  jet, 
would  comply  with  the  requirements. 

In  the  case  of  the  foregoing  plans  of  a  hotel, 
used  as  an  example,  there  is  nothing  on  the  draw- 
ings to  show  the  location  of  the  ground  work,  or 
grade  at  which  the  pipes  will  be  run.  The  symbols 
show  that  cast-iron  hub  and  spigot  pipe  is  to  be 

61 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

used,  but  give  no  indication  as  to  its  weight  or 
grade,  whether  coated  or  uncoated,  or  how  the 
lengths  will  be  made  tight.  Nothing  is  shown 
either  on  the  plans  or  details  which  will  throw  any 
light  upon  the  manner  in  which  pipes,  both  the 
horizontal  drains  buried  in  the  ground  and  the 
vertical  stacks  of  soil,  waste  and  vent  pipes,  will  be 
supported;  how  they  will  be  made  tight  where  they 
pass  through  the  roof;  what  means  will  be  em- 
ployed to  connect  lead  pipe  to  the  cast-iron  stacks; 
the  manner  or  kind  of  yard  drains  to  use,  and 
whether  the  drainage  system  is  to  be  water  and 
gas  tight.  A  "fosa  moura"  is  shown,  but  there  is 
nothing  to  indicate  what  it  is  made  of,  how  con- 
structed, or  by  what  contractor  the  work  will  be 
performed. 

By  referring  to  the  following  specifications, 
which  were  prepared  to  accompany  the  plans,  all 
these  points  are  made  clear,  and  by  studying  the 
layout  on  the  plans,  carefully,  in  connection  with 
the  specifications,  it  will  be  found  that  there  is  no 
question  which  can  arise  regarding  the  system  of 
drain  pipes  or  water  supply  that  is  not  answered  in 
the  specifications.  That  is  the  crucial  test  in  speci- 
fication writing.  If  there  is  any  uncertainty  as  to 
what  material  will  be  required  to  install  the  plumb- 
ing system,  or  any  doubt  as  to  the  quality  of  mater- 
ials or  method  of  installing  the  work,  something  is 
lacking  either  on  the  drawings  or  in  the  specifica- 
tions, and  the  layout  should  be  studied  until  the 
lacking  element  is  discovered  and  incorporated 
where  it  belongs. 

62 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

The  layout  of  pipes  in  the  bathrooms  shows 
unmistakably  the  two-pipe  system  of  plumbing 
with  syphon  traps,  and  indicates  in  what  manner 
the  several  pipes  are  to  be  run;  also,  their  several 
sizes.  There  is  nothing  on  the  drawings  to  show 
what  weight  of  lead  pipe  will  be  used,  how  the 
joints  shall  be  made  and  how  the  closets  and  slop 
sinks  will  be  connected  to  the  drainage  system. 
These  several  points,  however,  are  fully  covered  in 
the  specifications,  so  that,  so  far  as  the  drainage 
system  is  concerned,  there  is  nothing  which  an 
estimator  or  contractor  cannot  learn  by  a  reference 
to  the  plans  and  specifications,  and  nothing  is  left 
to  be  done  *  'according  to  the  direction  of  the  archi- 
tect/' a  provision  which  cannot  intelligently  be 
estimated  on. 

It  will  be  observed  that,  while  the  water-sup- 
ply pipes  can  be  traced  on  the  plans  from  where 
the  service  pipe  enters  the  building  to  where  the 
various  fixture  branches  are  connected  to  the  fix- 
tures, there  is  nothing  on  the  drawings  to  indicate 
whether  the  pipes  and  fittings  shall  be  iron,  copper, 
brass  or  nickel-steel;  what  weight  of  pipes  shall  be 
used;  how  the  joints  shall  be  made;  where  the  pipes 
on  the  ground  floor  will  be  located;  what  sizes  shall 
be  used;  how  they  will  be  supported  and  at  what 
grades.  Meters  and  a  filter  are  shown,  but  the 
kinds  or  makes  are  not  indicated.  The  suction 
tank  is  outlined,  but  whether  of  wood,  iron  or  other 
material  cannot  be  learned  from  the  plans,  nor  can 
the  size,  capacity  and  make  of  pump,  hot-water 
tank  or  water  heater.  Valves  are  indicated,  but 
the  kind  of  valves  to  use  cannot  be  ascertained 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

from  the  plans,  nor  can  the  kind  of  house  tank  to 
be  used  on  the  roof  be  fully  told  from  the  details, 
although  a  fair  idea  may  be  obtained.  All  this  in- 
formation which  is  lacking  in  the  drawings  should 
be  incorporated  in  the  specifications,  and  in  the 
following  example  of  specifications  which  accom- 
panied the  plans,  these  points  are  fully  covered,  as 
may  be  seen  by  a  careful  reading.  The  fact  can- 
not be  too  forcibly  pointed  out  that  a  contractor 
estimates  only  on  what  is  shown  on  the  drawings 
or  mentioned  in  the  specifications.  He  is  justified 
in  believing  that  the  one  who  laid  out  the  plumbing 
plans  and  wrote  the  specifications  was  competent, 
knew  what  he  wanted,  and  had  incorporated  every- 
thing in  his  drawings  and  specifications;  and  if 
anything  which  might  be  considered  essential  to 
the  work  be  omitted,  he  is  justified  in  believing 
that  the  omission  was  intentional,  and  in  estimating 
accordingly. 

If,  however,  there  is  an  indication  either  in  the 
plans  or  specifications  which  leads  the  estimator  to 
believe  that  something  was  intended,  although  not 
fully  mentioned,  he  is  put  upon  inquiry,  and  should 
make  sure  before  proceeding  with  his  tender.  The 
architect,  on  the  other  hand,  when  called  upon  to 
verbally  explain  something  in  either  the  drawings 
or  specifications  which  is  not  clear,  or  which  when 
construed  together  do  not  explain  the  point,  must 
know  that  something  is  lacking  and  should  correct 
the  plans  and  specifications  to  make  clear  the  lack- 
ing or  ambiguous  requirements. 

64 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

EXAMPLE   OF   A   PLUMBING 
SPECIFICATION 

m    m 

SPECIFICATIONS 

For  the  Plumbing  Installation  in  the  Hotel  Santiago,  Located 
in  the  City  of  Havana,  on  the  Island  of  Cuba 


GENERAL   CONDITIONS 

Interpretation  of  Plans  and  Specifications.— 

The  following  specifications  are  intended  to  de- 
scribe the  material  required  and  the  work  to  be 
performed  installing  the  plumbing  work  in  the 
Hotel  Santiago,  Havana,  Cuba.  The  specifications 
are  intended  to  be  interpreted  in  conjunction  with 
a  set  of  drawings  hereto  attached,  and  if  anything 
is  shown  on  the  drawings  that  is  not  mentioned  in 
the  specifications,  or  is  mentioned  in  the  specifica- 
tions but  not  shown  in  the  drawings,  it  is  to  be  in- 
cluded in  the  work  the  same  as  though  both  men- 
tioned in  the  specifications  and  shown  in  the  draw- 
ings. Furthermore,  any  material  or  labor  obviously 
required  to  complete  the  work  shall  be  included  in 
these  specifications  as  fully  as  though  mentioned 
in  the  specifications  and  shown  on  the  plans,  and 
such  work  and  material  shall  be  of  the  same  grade 
or  quality  as  the  parts  actually  shown  and  specified. 

Drawings. — The  drawings  shall  consist  of  three 
separate  sheets  showing  the  floor  plans  of  the  build- 
ing, and  another  sheet  showing  details  of  the 
installation.  The  drawings  shall  be  numbered  con- 
secutively from  one  to  four,  and  shall,  together 

65 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

with  the  specifications,  be  signed  for  identification 
by  the  owner  of  the  building  and  the  plumbing 
contractor.  Sheet  No.  1  is  a  plan  of  the  ground 
floor  of  the  building^  showing  the  general  arrange- 
ment of  the  supply  pipes,  pumps,  meters,  suction 
tank,  water-heating  apparatus  and  the  house  drain. 
Sheet  No.  2  is  a  plan  of  the  first,  second  and  third 
floors,  showing  the  general  arrangement  of  the  fix- 
tures in  the  several  bathrooms,  and  indicating  the 
location  of  various  hot-water,  cold-water,  circula- 
tion pipes,  and  the  soil,  waste  and  vent  stacks. 
Sheet  No.  3  is  a  plan  of  the  fourth  or  top  floor, 
showing  the  location  of  the  various  kitchen  and 
scullery  fixtures,  and  the  general  arrangement  of 
the  toilet  rooms,  as  well  as  the  location  of  the  sup- 
ply, waste,  soil  and  vent  lines.  Sheet  No.  4*  shows 
the  details  of  various  parts  of  the  plumbing  instal- 
lation. 

The  locations  of  fixtures  on  the  ground  floor 
are  not  shown  on  sheet  No.  1,  but  are  shown  on 
the  architect's  drawings,  which  must  be  read  in 
connection  with  the  plumbing  plans. 

Permits  and  Plumbing  Laws. — The  plumbing 
contractor  shall  pay  for  and  secure  all  permits  to 
open  streets,  connect  with  the  public  sewer,  con- 
nect to  the  water  supply  or  perform  any  other  work 
or  operation  connected  with  his  contract  and  for 
which  a  fee  is  exacted;  he  shall  also  pay  for  tap- 
ping the  water  main,  and  shall  comply  with  all 
municipal  or  general  laws  in  the  city  of  Havana  or 
of  the  Island  of  Cuba,  which  bear  upon  or  affect 

*The  separate  details  illustrated  in  Chapter  III  were  all  included  on  Sheet  4. 

66 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


his  work;  and,  in  so  far  as  they  are  applicable  to 
the  plumbing  work  in  the  Hotel  Santiago,  the  laws 
and  regulations  governing  the  sanitary  installations 
of  plumbing,  known  as  Decree  No.  255,  is  made 
part  of  this  specification. 

Number  and  Location  of  Fixtures. — There 
shall  be  a  total  of  282  fixtures  throughout  the  build- 
ing, located  where  shown  on  the  plans.  They  shall 
be  distributed  on  the  various  floors  as  follows: 

2  urinals  "] 

2  water-closets 
1  lavatory 
1  urinal 

1  water-closet    - 
1  lavatory 

Ground  floor  -j     2  meters 
1  filter 

1  suction  tank 
1  pump 

1  hot  water  tank 
1  water  heater 


First 
floor 


Third 
floor 


For  public  use 


For  private  use 


For  general  service 


I  15  Total 

28  bath  tubs 
28  lavatories 
28  water-closets 

84  Total 

28  bath  tubs 
28  lavatories 
28  water-closets 

84  Total 


Second 
floor 


Fourth 
floor 


28  bath  tubs 
28  lavatories 
28  water-closets 

84  Total 

1  group  of  4  sinks 

2  slop  sinks 
1  bath  tub 

3  lavatories 

•j  3  water-closets 
1  grease  trap 
1  house  tank 

15  Total 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

Superintendence  and  Inspection. — The  con- 
tractor shall  give  the  work  his  personal  superin- 
tendence from  time  to  time,  and  shall  keep  on  the 
premises  a  foreman  who  will  be  authorized  to  re- 
present him  during  his  absence.  The  owner,  or 
his  representative,  the  architect,  also  the  sanitary 
officer  for  the  city  of  Havana,  shall  have  access  to 
the  work  and  material  at  all  hours  during  the  work- 
day for  the  purpose  of  examination  or  inspection, 
and  no  work  shall  be  concealed  from  sight  until  it 
has  been  passed  upon  by  the  sanitary  inspector. 
The  materials  for  this  installation  shall  be  strictly 
as  called  for  in  the  specifications,  and  the  work 
shall  be  put  together  exactly  as  shown  on  the  plans 
and  detail  drawings.  If  there  is  any  doubt  in  the 
contractor's  mind  as  to  how  certain  work  shall  be 
done,  detail  drawings  will  be  furnished  him  as  a 
guide.  All  exposed  screw  piping  must  be  put  to- 
gether so  as  to  conceal  the  threads,  and  tool  marks 
will  not  be  permitted  on  any  exposed  material,  fix- 
tures or  fittings. 

Beginning  and  Termination  of  Work. — The 

contractor  shall  begin  work  on  the  installation  of 
the  plumbing  within  a  reasonable  time  after  sign- 
ing the  contract,  and  shall  cooperate  with  the  other 
contractors  so  as  not  to  delay  the  completion  of  the 
building. 

Changes  from  the  Plans. — No  material  devia- 
tion from  the  plans  and  specification  shall  be  made 
in  the  installation  of  the  work  without  the  written 
consent  of  the  owner  or  architect.  The  owner, 
however,  shall  have  the  privilege  of  ordering  ad- 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

ditional  work  from  time  to  time  without  in  any  way 
affecting  the  validity  of  the  plans,  specifications  or 
contract.  The  value  of  the  work  so  ordered  shall 
in  each  case  be  agreed  upon  beforehand,  and  shall 
be  stipulated  in  the  written  order,  which  shall 
constitute  the  contractor's  authority  for  proceeding 
with  the  work.  Should  an  alteration  from  the 
original  plan  reduce  the  amount  of  labor  or  mater- 
ial, the  value  of  such  saving  shall  be  decided  upon 
by  the  owner  and  contractor  and  the  amount  stipu- 
lated in  the  written  order,  as  before  stated. 

THE  DRAINAGE  SYSTEM 

Excavating.— The  contractor  shall  dig  all 
trenches,  pits  or  cisterns  required  for  the  execution 
of  his  work,  and,  when  the  installation  has  been 
passed  by  the  sanitary  inspector,  all  trenches  and 
other  openings  shall  be  refilled  and  left  in  as  good 
condition  as  before  they  were  opened.  The  con- 
tractor shall  be  responsible  for  all  damage  or  injury 
arising  from  accidents  caused  by  negligence  or 
carelessness  in  not  properly  safeguarding  his  work. 

Material  for  Drainage  System.— The  contract- 
or shall  provide  all  pipe,  fittings,  supports,  pack- 
ings and  lead  for  the  drainage  system,  and  shall 
install  it  according  to  the  layout  shown  on  the 
drawings.  The  pipes  shall  all  be  of  cast  iron  of 
the  hub-and-spigot  pattern,  sound,  cylindrical  and 
smooth,  free  from  sand  holes,  cracks  or  other  de- 
fects, and  covered  on  the  inside  and  outside  with  a 
coating  of  asphaltum.  All  pipes  buried  in  the 
ground  shall  be  of  the  grade  known  to  commerce 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

as  extra  heavy,  and  all  vertical  stacks  of  soil,  waste 
and  vent  pipe  shall  be  of  the  grade  known  to  com- 
merce as  standard. 

Standard  and  extra-heavy  cast-iron  pipe  shall 
not  be  less  than  the  following  weights  per  lineal 
foot: 


Inside  diameter 


Average  weight  per  lineal  foot, 
including  hubs 


oi  pipe 

Standard 

Extra  heavy 

2  inches 
3      " 

3J 

5J  pounds 
9J       " 

4      " 
5      " 
6      " 

6| 
8i 

13 
17 
20 

All  fittings  shall  be  coated  on  the  inside  and 
outside  with  asphaltum,  and  shall  correspond  in 
weight  to  the  pipes  with  which  they  are  connected. 
The  entire  horizontal  portion  of  the  house  drain 
shown  on  the  ground-floor  plan  shall  be  buried  in 
the  earth  below  the  floor. 

Fall  of  Drains. — All  pipes  in  the  house-drain- 
age system  shall  be  laid  at  grade  to  produce 
throughout  a  uniform  velocity.  Pipes  of  the  sever- 
al diameters  shall  be  laid  at  grades  not  less  than 
those  specified  in  the  following  table: 


Diameter  of  pipe 

2  inches 

3  " 

4  " 

5  " 

6  " 


Fall  per  foot 
f  inch 

I    " 
A    " 

i    " 

\    " 


70 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

Joints  for  Cast-Iron  Pipe. — All  joints  in  the 
cast-iron  pipe  shall  be  made  water-tight  with  picked 
oakum  and  pure  pig  lead,  well  calked  into  the  hubs. 
One  pound  of  lead  shall  be  used  at  each  joint  for 
each  inch  in  diameter  of  the  pipe. 

Gleanouts. — A  cleanout  branch  shall  be  pro- 
vided in  the  house  drain  wherever  indicated  on  the 
plans,  and  a  cleanout  plug  shall  be  calked  into  such 
fittings.  All  cleanouts  shall  have  iron  bodies  with 
brass  screw  plugs  threaded  with  standard  pipe 
threads,  and  shall  have  a  square  or  hexagonal  nut 
on  the  top  at  least  1J  inches  square  and  1-inch  high. 
The  plugs,  when  finally  screwed  into  the  ferrule, 
shall  be  made  up  with  graphite  in  the  joints. 

Support  for  Cast-iron  Pipe. — Cast-iron  pipe 
which  is  buried  in  the  ground  shall  have  a  firm 
bearing  along  its  entire  length  on  undisturbed 
earth.  In  case  the  trenches  have  been  dug  below 
the  proper  grades,  the  pipes  shall  be  supported 
every  10  feet  on  bricks,  firmly  bedded  on  undis- 
turbed earth.  The  vertical  stack  of  soil,  waste  and 
vent  pipes  throughout  the  building  shall  be  secure- 
ly fastened  to  the  walls  and  floors  at  each  tier  of 
beams  by  means  of  Netherland  split-ring  hangers. 
At  the  foot  of  each  rising  line  of  cast-iron  pipe  a 
brick  or  concrete  foundation  shall  be  provided  for 
the  stack  to  rest  on. 

Floor  Drains.— There  shall  be  furnished  and 
set  in  the  pump  room  and  in  the  patio,  where  shown 
on  the  ground-floor  plan,  a  3-inch  Mueller  floor 
drain  and  backwater  trap  combined,  properly  con- 
nected to  the  house  drain. 

71 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

Connections  to  Cast-Iron  Pipe. — Connections 
between  lead  pipe  and  cast-iron  pipe  shall  be  made 
by  means  of  brass  ferrules  and  wiped-solder  joints. 
The  ferrules  shall  be  bell  shaped,  at  least  i-inch 
thick,  4  inches  long,  and  shall  be  securely  calked 
into  the  hubs  of  the  cast-iron  pipe  or  fittings. 

All  connections  to  the  horizontal  house  drain 
shall  be  made  by  means  of  Y  fittings,  and  changes 
in  the  direction  of  the  pipe  shall  be  made  with  -J-,  J 
or  long-sweep  i  bends.  On  the  vertical  stack,  con- 
nection may  be  made  with  TY  branches.  T 
branches  will  be  permitted  only  on  vent  pipes. 

Traps. — Each  fixture  in  the  building  shall  be 
separately  trapped  with  a  J-S  syphon  trap  placed 
as  close  as  possible  to  the  fixture.  All  traps,  with 
the  exception  of  the  water-closet  traps,  shall  be 
vented  by  special  IJ-inch  vent  pipes  connected  to 
the  trap  near  the  crown  and  the  other  end  connect- 
ed to  a  vent  stack  extending  through  the  roof,  or 
connecting  to  the  soil  stack  above  the  highest  fix-, 
ture.  Each  water-closet  shall  be  vented  through  a 
2-inch  pipe  -connecting  the  lead  bend  below  the 
floor  to  the  vent  stack.  The  vent  pipe  for  each 
group  of  fixtures  shall  be  connected  to  the  vent 
stack  at  a  point  above  the  outlet  of  the  highest  fix- 
ture in  the  group.  The  group  of  sinks  in  the  kitch- 
en shall  be  provided  with  one  Tucker,  size  3,  paint- 
ed, cast-iron,  water-cooled  grease  trap,  properly 
connected  to  the  waste  pipe,  and  the  chilling 
chamber  connected  to  the  cold  water  supply  to  the 
sinks. 

72 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

System  of  Piping.— The  drainage  system  shall 
be  what  is  known  as  the  2-pipe  system,  which  shall 
consist  of  a  special  vent  stack  accompanying  each 
soil  or  waste  stack.  The  vent  stack  shall  be  con- 
nected to  the  soil  or  waste  stack  by  means  of  a  Y 
fitting  below  the  lowest  fixture  discharging  into 
the  stack,  and  may  be  connected  to  the  soil  or 
waste  stack  above  the  highest  fixture  discharging 
into  it,  or  it  may  extend  separately  through  the 
roof.  All  soil  and  waste  stacks  shall  be  extended 
5  feet  above  the  roof. 

Flashings. — Where  soil,  waste,  vent  or  supply 
pipes  pass  through  the  roof  of  the  building,  the 
joints  shall  be  made  tight  by  means  of  8-pound 
sheet  lead  flashings,  which  shall  extend  at  least  6 
inches  on  all  sides  of  the  pipe,  and  shall  be  made 
water-tight  where  they  come  in  contact  with  the 
roof. 

Fosa  Moura.— The  plumbing  contractor  shall 
furnish  all  material  and  labor  to  build,  where 
shown  on  the  plan,  a  "maximum"  "fosa  moura" 
according  to  the  requirements  of  the  Havana  Sani- 
tary Code.  The  fosa  moura  shall  be  circular  in 
form,  8  feet  in  diameter,  6  feet  6  inches  deep,  and 
shall  have  walls  and  bottom  of  brick,  the  walls  8 
inches  thick  and  the  bottom  4  inches  thick.  The 
walls  and  bottom  of  the  fosa  moura  shall  be  made 
water-tight  by  means  of  a  coating  of  Portland 
cement  mortar  1-inch  thick  mixed  in  the,  proportion 
of  one  of  cement  to  two  of  sand.  The  top  of  the 
fosa  moura  shall  be  arched  over  with  bricks  laid 
in  cement  mortar,  or  shall  have  a  deck  of  rein- 

73 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

forced  concrete,  with  a  20-inch  diameter  air-tight 
manhole  and  cover  securely  set  in  place. 

Lead  Pipe. — The  use  of  lead  pipe  shall  be  re- 
stricted to  the  short  branches  of  soil,  waste  and 
vent  pipes  required  for  the  roughing-in  of  the 
bathrooms.  No  lead  pipe  smaller  in  diameter  than 
li-inches  shall  be  used,  and  all  pipe  shall  be  equal 
to  the  grade  known  to  commerce  as  D  and  shall  be 
of  the  following  weights:  li-inch  pipe,  3  pounds 
per  foot;  2-inch  pipe,  4  pounds  per  foot;  3-inch 
pipe,  6  pounds  per  foot,  and  4-inch  pipe,  8  pounds 
per  foot.  Lead  bends  for  closets  and  slop  sinks, 
or  straight  connections  where  bends  are  not  used, 
will  be  provided  with  corrugations  to  compensate 
for  shrinkage  or  settlement  of  stacks  or  building. 
All  connections  between  lead  pipes  or  between  lead 
pipe  and  brass  ferrules  shall  be  made  by  means  of 
solder  wiped  joints. 

Tests. — The  entire  drainage  system  within  the 
building  shall  be  tested  by  the  plumbing  contractor 
in  the  presence  of  the  sanitary  inspector  of  the  city 
of  Havana.  Two  tests  shall  be  applied  to  the  sys- 
tem; the  first  shall  be  a  water  test  and  shall  be 
applied  by  closing  all  outlets  below  the  roof  and 
filling  the  drain,  stacks  and  branches,  until  the 
water  overflows  from  the  vent  pipes  above  the  roof. 
All  leaks  or  defects  shall  be  made  perfectly  sound 
and  tight  and  the  work  shall  not  be  passed  until 
the  entire  system  remains  full  of  water  for  two 
hours  without  leaking. 

After  the  fixtures  are  all  set  and  the  traps 
sealed  with  water,  a  smoke  test  shall  be  applied, 

74 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

and  any  defects  or  leaks  disclosed  by  this  test  shall 
in  like  manner  be  made  tight  and  strong.  All  tests 
shall  be  made  by  and  at  the  expense  of  the  plumb- 
ing contractor. 

Closet  and  Slop- Sink  Floor  Connections. — All 

water-closets  and  slop-sinks  shall  be  provided  with 
flexible  metal-to-metal  brass  floor  flanges,  which 
shall  be  securely  soldered  to  the  lead  bends.  The 
adjusting  threads  of  the  flange,  where  th'ey  come 
together,  shall  be  well  lubricated  with  Dixon's 
Graphite. 

WATER   SUPPLY 

The  water-supply  system  throughout  the  build- 
ing shall  be  of  galvanized  wrought  pipe  with  gal- 
vanized malleable  beaded  fittings.  All  water  pipes 
shall  be  exposed  and  shall  be  neatly  run  in  straight 
lines  spaced  about  3  inches  from  center  to  center, 
and  the  joints  shall  be  made  up  at  the  fittings  so 
no  threads  will  show.  All  galvanized  pipe  shall  be 
supported  about  every  10  feet  by  Fee  and  Mason 
split-ring  hangers,  which  shall  be  galvanized  to 
correspond  with  the  pipe  and  fittings.  Before  the 
work  is  accepted,  all  exposed  pipes  must  be  cleaned 
and  left  entirely  free  from  tool  or  other  marks. 

Service  Pipe  and  Meters. — The  contractors 
shall  have  inserted  in  the  water  main,  in  the  street 
where  indicated  on  the  ground  floor  plan,  eight  (8) 
three-quarter  inch  (f)  taps.  Each  tap  shall  be 
connected  by  means  of  a  tail-piece  and  3  feet  of 
a  a  a  lead  pipe  to  an  eight-branch  IJ-inch  multiple 
connection. 

75 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

From  this  connection,  extend  a  service  of  1J- 
inch  galvanized-iron  pipe  to  the  inside  of  the  build- 
ing, thence  to  and  along  the  ceiling  of  the  ground 
floor  to  the  pump  room.  Connect  the  service  pipe 
in  the  pump  room  to  a  water-filter,  and  to  two 
Crown,  Nash  or  Hersey  Water  Meters;  each  meter 
shall  be  so  controlled  by  gate  valves  that  it  can  be 
cut  out  of  service  without  interrupting  the  flow  to 
the  other  meter  or  shutting  off  the  supply  from  the 
suction  tank.  From  the  meters,  extend  the  IJ-inch 
pipe  to  the  suction  tank,  and  terminate  it  with  four 
1-inch  ball  cocks  arranged  to  shut  off  the  water 
when  the  suction  tank  is  full. 

Suction  Tank. — The  suction  tank  shall  be  of 
steel  plates  TVinch  thick,  double  riveted  at  the 
seams  and  well  calked  to  make  the  joints  perfectly 
water-tight.  The  tank  shall  be  10  feet  long,  8  feet 
wide,  6  feet  deep  and  shall  be  supported  on  four 
91-pound  5-inch  standard  I  beams,  each  8  feet  long, 
to  raise  the  tank  from  the  floor.  The  beams  and 
tank  shall  be  well  painted  with  two  coats  of  black 
varnish  or  asphaltum,  and  the  top  of  the  tank  shall 
be  covered  with  a  wire  screen  of  fine  mesh  to  pre- 
vent the  entrance  of  vermin,  and  decked  over  with 
2-inch  planks  well  matched  to  make  it  dirt  proof. 
A  hinged  manhole  about  2  feet  square  shall  be 
provided  in  the  top.  The  outlet  from  the  suction 
tank  shall  be  at  the  bottom  near  the  pump  end  of 
the  tank,  as  shown  on  the  plan.  It  shall  consist  of 
a  2i-inch  tapped  flange  riveted  to  the  tank  plate. 
A  brass  wire  strainer  shall  protect  the  suction  in- 
let. The  inlet  to  the  tank  shall  be  2  inches  in  dia- 

76 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

meter  and  shall  be  reinforced  by  a  flange  on  the 
outside  of  the  opening,  but  the  flange  need  not  be 
tapped. 

Water  Filter.— The  filter  shall  be  a  New  York, 
of  the  pressure  type,  manufactured  by  the  New 
York  Continental  Jewell  Filtration  Company,  5  feet 
in  diameter,  6  feet  high  and  possessing  a  capacity 
of  3,000  U.  S.  gallons  per  hour.  The  filter  shall  be 
provided  with  an  automatic  coagulating  apparatus, 
and  fitted  with  a  by-pass  so  unfiltered  water  can 
be  delivered  direct  to  the  suction  tank. 

House  Pump.— Furnish  and  fit  up,  alongside 
of  the  suction  tank,  one  size  3-A  Quimby  screw 
pump  having  a  capacity  of  1,800  gallons  of  water 
per  hour  against  a  head  of  100  feet.  The  pump 
shall  be  direct-connected  to  a  3  horsepower  direct- 
current  motor  of  the  General-Electric,  Crocker- 
Wheeler  or  Sprague  type,  and  shall  be  provided 
with  an  automatic  switch  and  starting  device  to 
turn  on  the  current  when  water  in  the  house  tank 
reaches  a  certain  level  and  stop  the  motor  when 
the  tank  is  full.  Provide  a  brick  or  concrete  foun- 
dation for  the  pump  2  feet  6  inches  wide  by  5  feet 
6  inches  long,  capped  with  a  flagstone  of  granite  or 
bluestone,  with  bolts  set  in  to  secure  the  pump. 
The  pump  shall  be  set  on  a  matting  of  felt  to  deaden 
any  sound  due  to  vibration.  Connect  the  suction 
end  of  the  pump  to  the  outlet  of  the  suction  tank 
with  a  2J-inch  galvanized  wrought  pipe,  and  ex- 
tend a  2|-inch  galvanized  wrought  pipe  from  the 
pump  to  the  house  tank  on  roof. 

77 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

House  Tank. — Furnish  and  fit  up  on  the  roof 
of  the  building  where  shown  on  plan,  one  wooden 
house  tank  10  feet  in  diameter  by  8  feet  6  inches 
deep,  made  of  2-inch  cypress,  cedar  or  white  pine. 
Cover  the  tank  with  a  copper  screen  of  fine  mesh  to 
exclude  mosquitoes  and  with  a  dust-proof  wooden 
cover.  Provide  a  hinged  manhole  2  feet  square 
through  the  cover. 

The  tank  shall  rest  on  pine  timbers  spaced 
about  12  inches  apart  and  running  crosswise  with 
the  flooring  of  the  tank.  The  entire  weight  of  the 
tank  shall  be  supported  on  two  steel  beams  fur- 
nished by  the  plumbing  contractor.  These  beams 
shall  be,  respectively:  one  15-inch  42-pound  stand- 
ard I  beam  18  feet  long,  and  one  9-inch  21-pound 
standard  I  beam  9  feet  long.  The  two  beams  shall 
be  tied  together  with  two  |-inch  tie  rods,  and  shall 
rest  on  four  bluestone  or  granite  templets  6  inches 
by  12  inches  by  24  inches,  provided  by  the  plumb- 
ing contractor.  The  house  tank  shall  be  provided 
with  an  overflow  pipe  4  inches  in  diameter,  and  a 
2i-inch  emptying  pipe  discharging  onto  the  roof;  a 
pump  pipe  and  expansion  pipe  shall  empty  into  the 
tank,  which  shall  be  connected  to  a  3J-inch  galva- 
nized wrought  pipe  to  supply  the  building. 

Supply  to  Building. — The  SJ-inch  house  supply 
pipe  shall  be  extended  from  the  house  tank  to  the 
pump  room,  where,  by  means  of  a  3J  by  3  by  24- 
inch  T,  a  2J-inch  branch  shall  be  taken  to  the  hot- 
water  tank,  to  supply  the  building  with  hot  water, 
and  the  3-inch  run  shall  extend  in  full  size  to  the 
cold-water  manifold.  The  2J-inch  hot-water  pipe 

78 


Plumbing    Plan  sv  and    Specifications 

from  the  hot- water  tank  shall  extend  in  full  size  to 
the  hot- water  manifold,  and  a  li-inch  branch  from 
the  pipe  directly  above  the  hot-water  tank  shall  be 
extended  to  the  house  tank  on  the  roof  to  act  as  a 
relief  pipe  for  the  system. 

There  shall  be  three  sets  of  manifolds:  hot, 
cold  and  circulation,  from  which  all  supplies  in  the 
building  shall  be  controlled.  Each  manifold  shall 
control  eight  sets  of  pipes  run  along  the  ceiling,  as 
shown  on  the  ground  floor  plan  and  in  detail  on 
sheet  4.  These  manifolds  shall  be  provided  with 
drip  pipes  and  valves  so  that  any  one  line  can  be 
shut  off  and  drained  without  affecting  the  other 
lines. 

The  supply  pipes  throughout  the  building  shall 
be  of  the  following  sizes:  distributing  mains  for 
cold  water,  IJ-inches  in  diameter;  distributing 
mains  for  hot  water,  li-inches  in  diameter;  circu- 
lation pipes,  |-inch  in  diameter.  Distributor 
branches  in  bathrooms  shall  be  f-inch  in  diameter; 
branches  to  the  bath  tubs,  |-inch  in  diameter; 
branches  to  lavatories,  J-inch  in  diameter;  branches 
to  closet  tanks,  J-inch  in  diameter.  All  exposed 
piping  within  the  bathrooms  shall  be  of  galvanized 
pipe,  well  cleaned  and  polished,  free  from  tool 
marks  and  made  up  into  fittings  so  no  part  of  the 
male  threads  on  the  pipes  will  show.  The  horizon- 
tal mains  on  the  ground  floor  shall  be  graded  from 
the  risers  to  the  manifold  headers  so  the  pipes  will 
have  a  fall  toward  the  headers  of  about  J-inch  in 
10  feet. 

System  of  Valving. — In  the  pump  room,  there 
shall  be  a  li-inch  gate  valve  on  the  water-service 

79 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

pipe  on  the  street  side  of  the  filter,  one  on  each 
branch  to  the  meters,  and  another  on  each  dis- 
charge branch  from  the  meters.  A  2J-inch  gate 
valve  shall  be  interposed  between  the  suction  tank 
and  the  pump,  and  a  li-inch  gate  valve  shall  be 
placed  in  a  tee  in  the  suction  pipe  on  the  tank  side 
of  the  2J-inch  valve,  to  serve  as  an  emptying  cock. 
On  the  house-tank  side  of  the  pump,  a  2i-inch  gate 
valve  shall  be  placed  in  the  pump  pipe,  and  in  the 
branch  of  a  T  immediately  above  the  valve  there 
shall  be  a  1-inch  angle  valve  for  emptying  the 
pump  pipe. 

In  connection  with  the  house  tank  on  the  roof, 
there  shall  be  a  3i-inch  gate  valve  on  the  house- 
supply  pipe  with  a  vent  pipe  from  a  T  extending 
above  the  surface  of  the  water  in  the  tank.  A  21- 
inch  gate  valve  shall  be  provided  in  the  emptying 
pipe  from  the  tank.  A  2i-inch  gate  valve  shall  be 
provided  in  the  cold-water  supply  to  the  hot- water 
tank  and  another  in  the  hot-water  branch  to  the 
hot- water  manifold.  A  3-inch  gate  valve  shall  be 
provided  in  the  branch  controlling  the  cold-water 
manifold.  Each  distributing  main  from  the  cold- 
water  manifold  shall  have  a  li-inch  gate  valve  for 
shutting  off  the  water,  and  immediately  above  the 
gate  valve  from  a  |-inch  branch  T  there  shall  be  a 
1-inch  angle  valve  connected  to  a  drip  pipe.  The 
hot- water  distributing  mains  and  the  circulating 
pipe  shall  be  fitted  with  valves  in  the  same  manner, 
except  that  the  gate  valves  on  the  hot-water  pipe 
shall  be  li-inch  and  the  valves  on  the  circulation 
pipes  i-inch  diameter.  All  valves  on  the  manifold 
headers  shall-  be  provided  with  brass  tags  stamped 

80 


Plumbing    Plans'. and    Specifications 

to  indicate  the  line  of  pipe  they  control.  A  IJ-inch 
ground-key  cock  shall  be  used  in  connection  with 
the  heating  apparatus  for  emptying  the  tank  and 
heater. 

The  supply  to  each  bathroom  shall  be  con- 
trolled by  an  angle  valve  placed  on  both  the  hot 
and  cold  water  distributing  branches.  The  several 
fixtures  in  the  bathrooms  shall  not  be  separately 
valved. 

All  valves  shall  be  heavy  pattern,  brass  body, 
of  Crane,  Fairbanks  or  Jenkins  Bros.  make.  Gate 
valves  shall  be  double -seated  valves  and  angle 
valves  shall  have  soft  seats. 

Hot- Water  and  Circulation  Pipes. — Each  hot- 
water  riser  throughout  the  building  shall  be  accom- 
panied by  a  corresponding  circulation  pipe,  f -inch 
in  diameter,  which  shall  be  connected  to  the  hot- 
water  riser  by  means  of  a  return  bend  on  the  top 
floor  of  the  building.  The  hot-water  riser,  also  the 
circulation  riser,  shall  be  supported  only  at  the 
second  floor  of  the  building,  so  the  ends  will  be 
free  to  expand  up  and  down. 

Water-Heating  Apparatus.— The  contractor 
shall  provide  and  set  up  where  shown  on  the  plans, 
one  steel  hot-water  tank  48  inches  in  diameter  and 
8  feet  high,  made  of  A-inch  steel  plates  double 
riveted,  the  seams  calked  perfectly  water  tight, 
and  guaranteed  to  withstand  a  pressure  of  300 
pounds  per  square  inch.  The  tank  shall  be  con- 
nected by  means  of  a  2J-inch  flow  and  return  pipe 
to  a  cast-iron  Ideal,  Yale  or  Sun  ray  water  heater 
containing  6  square  feet  of  grate  surface  and  hav- 

81 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

ing  a  smoke  flue  of  10  inches  diameter.  The  tank 
shall  stand  upright  alongside  the  heater  and  both 
shall  rest  on  a  cement  base  especially  provided  for 
the  purpose.  Cover  the  hot-water  tank  with  11- 
inches  of  asbestos  plaster  smoothly  troweled  on 
over  a  band  of  expanded  metal. 

Smoke  Flue  or  Chimney. — The  owner  shall 
provide  a  chimney  flue  lined  with  flue  lining  which 
shall  be  cylindrical  in  form  and  10  inches  in  diame- 
ter. If  the  linings  are  square  in  section,  they  shall 
measure  10  inches  on  the  inside. 

Test  of  Water-Supply  System.— The  entire 
water-supply  system  throughout  the  building  shall 
be  subjected  to  a  hydraulic  pressure  of  100  pounds 
to  the  square  inch,  at  which  pressure  the  pipe  fit- 
tings and  joints  must  be  perfectly  tight. 

Prices  for  Extra  Work.— Each  estimator  shall 
include  in  his  tender  a  schedule  of  prices  for  labor, 
for  various  sizes  of  soil  pipe,  waste  pipe,  water  pipe, 
cocks,  valves  and  for  other  materials.  Also  a 
schedule  of  prices  for  the  various  fixtures  and 
trimmings  specified,  that  he  will  furnish  the  goods 
for  in  case  extra  fixtures  are  required,  or  that  will 
be  deducted  from  the  cost  of  the  contract  in  case 
any  fixtures  or  materials  are  omitted.  It  is  under- 
stood however  that  in  case  the  extra  work,  or  the 
reduction  of  work  exceeds  five  per  cent,  of  the 
amount  of  the  contract,  the  prices  stated  may  be 
superseded  by  a  special  written  agreement  stating 
the  work  to  be  performed  and  the  prices  to  be  paid 
therefore.  Should  the  owner  and  contractor  fail 
to  agree  as  to  the  amount  to  be  added  to  or  de- 

82 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

ducted  from  the  contract  for  changes  from  the 
original  plans  and  specifications,  a  written  agree- 
ment will  be  entered  into  as  required,  but  without 
the  amount  to  be  added  to,  or  deducted  from,  the 
contract  being  stated;  and  if  the  owner  and  con- 
tractor continue  to  disagree,  the  matter  in  dispute 
shall  be  decided  by  arbitration,  as  provided  for  in 
the  following  section. 

Arbitration. — In  case  the  owner  and  contractor 
fail  to  agree  as  to  the  price  to  be  paid  for  changes 
to  or  alterations  from  the  plans  and  specifications, 
or  a  dispute  should  arise  as  to  any  other  terms  of 
the  specifications  and  contract,  the  matter  shall  be 
referred  to  a  Board  of  Arbitration  consisting  of 
three  persons.  One  of  the  board  shall  be  selected 
by  the  owner,  one  by  the  contractor,  and  the  two 
so  chosen  shall  select  the  third.  The  decision  of 
any  two  of  the  board  shall  be  final  and  binding  on 
both  parties,  and  each  party,  the  owner  and  the 
contractor,  shall  pay  one-half  the  costs  of  the  arbi- 
tration trial. 

Insurance. — The  owner  during  the  progress  of 
the  work  shall  keep  it  insured  against  loss  or  dam- 
age by  fire  so  as  to  cover  all  work  installed  in  the 
building  or  materials  stored  on  the  premises;  and 
the  policy  shall  be  made  payable  to  the  plumbing 
contractor,  proportionately  with  the  other  con- 
tractors, as  the  interests  might  appear. 

FIXTURES 

In  specifying  the  fixtures  for  a  building  it  is 
customary  to  copy  the  descriptions  given  in  the 

83 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

^^^^~~~~~^^~~~~ 

catalogue  of  the  goods  to  be  used,  adding  or  making 
such  alterations  as  may  be  deemed  advisable.  In 
the  present  specifications,  descriptions  of  the  fix- 
tures are  omitted,  and  only  one  example  given  to 
show  the  form  usually  followed. 

Water  Closets.— The  closets  throughout  shall 
be  Design  A  2  (Standard)  Vi trite  porcelain  design 
"A"  low  tank  center  outlet  twin  syphon  jet  bowl, 
with  2-inch  nickel-plated  brass  flush  connection, 
Plate  P  951  quarter  sawed  oak  saddle  seat  and  panel 
cover,  Plate  P940  porcelain  enameled  in  and  out 
tank  with  square  front  and  flat  top,  with  water 
pressure  regulator  and  low  push  button,  nickel- 
plated  brass  wall  supply  pipe  with  china  index 
compression  stop,  flexible  metal-to-metal  floor  con- 
nection, bolts,  nuts  and  washers  complete. 


84 


CHAPTER  VII 


SUGGESTIONS    FOR 
SPECIFICATION   WRITING 


IVISIONS  and  Subdivisions.— A 

printed  form  of  specification  cannot 
well  be  prepared  for  plumbing  work. 
Of  course,  a  printed  form  with  blank 
spaces  could  be  prepared,  but,  owing 
to  the  fact  that  no  two  installations  are  alike,  a 
printed  form  to  be  applicable  to  all  would  be  so 
cumbersome  and  contain  so  many  unnecessary 
clauses  and  conditions  that  it  would  lead  to  confu- 
sion and,  in  case  of  a  disagreement,  probably  cause 
injustice  or  hardship  to  one  of  the  contracting  par- 
ties. Even  for  simple  installations  a  satisfactory 
blank  form  of  specification  cannot  be  prepared,  for 
a  specification  is  simply  a  straight- forward,  simple 
statement  of  what  material  is  to  be  supplied  and 
what  work  is  to  be  performed.  If  a  blank  form  is 
prepared  and  made  flexible  enough  to  cover  any 
and  all  installations  the  composite  form  of  the 
specification  will  be  had  at  the  expense  of  clearness 
and  simplicity.  When  a  contract  is  to  be  entered 
into,  or  a  specification  is  to  be  prepared,  the  better 

85 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

way  is  to  consider  carefully  what  each  party  to  the 
agreement  will  be  required  to  do,  then,  in  all  fair- 
ness, reduce  that  agreement  to  a  formal  writing. 
It  is  not  only  easier  to  prepare  a  written  specifica- 
tion than  to  satisfactorily  fill  out  the  blank  spaces 
of  a  printed  form,  but  for  all  concerned  it  is  safer. 
In  preparing  a  specification,  by  observing  a 
few  simple  rules,  the  task  can  be  reduced  to  a  sim- 
plicity that  is  surprising.  The  chief  aims  of  the 
specification  are  clearness  and  completeness;  and 
these  two  requirements,  coupled  with  conciseness, 
can  be  best  secured  by  dividing  the  specifications 
into  the  four  principal  divisions:  General  Condi- 
tions; Drainage  System;  Water  Supply;  Fixtures, 
and  treating  each  of  these  general  subjects  sepa- 
rately. The  work  will  be  still  further  simplified 
by  subdividing  the  principal  subjects  into  their 
various  subheadings.  A  simple  expedient  which 
will  be  found  useful  at  all  times  when  preparing 
specifications  is  to  have  a  list  of  titles  of  the  various 
conditions  that  must  be  observed,  or  fixtures  which 
might  be  required  in  a  building,  checking  off  the 
items  as  they  are  specified,  or  those  that  are  not 
required.  This  list  can  be  added  to  from  time  to 
time  as  new  items  are  encountered  in  different 
types  of  buildings,  until  finally  a  full  and  complete 
list  of  the  various  subjects  that  must  be  considered 
in  the  planning  of  plumbing  and  writing  the  speci- 
fications will  be  incorporated  in  the  schedule.  Such 
memoranda  will  be  found  useful  not  only  in  writ- 
ing the  specification,  but  likewise  in  preparing  the 
drawings  and  will  prevent  any  item  being  forgot- 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


ten.    A  form  containing  a  partial  list  of  items, 
which  can  be  added  to  from  time  to  time,  follows  : 

GENERAL   CONDITIONS 

Interpretation  of  plans  and 
specifications 

Drawings 

Permits  and  plumbing  laws 

Number  and  location  of  fix- 
tures 

Superintendence  and  in- 
spection 

Beginning  and  termination 
of  work 

Changes  from  plans 

Removal  of  rubbish 

Temporary  water-closet 


Guarantees 

Arbitration 

Extras 

Protection  of  work 

Responsibility  for  damage 

Insurance 

Removing  condemned  goods 

Abandonment  of  work 

Temporary  water  supply 

Cutting  and  repairing 

Ambiguity 

Prices  for  extra  work 

Payments 


DRAINAGE   SYSTEM 


Excavating 

The  house  sewer 

Material  for  drainage  sys- 
tem 

Soil  pipe  joints 

Location  of  drains 

Falls  for  drains 

Cleanouts 

Supports  for  drainage  sys- 
tem 

Main  drain  trap 

Fresh-air  inlet 

Floor  drains 

Yard  and  area  drains 

Rain  leaders 

Subsoil  drainage 

Tide-water  traps 

Connections  between  iron 
and  lead  pipe 


Flashings 

System  of  piping 

Lead  pipe 

Traps 

Closet  and  slop-sink  floor 
connections 

Tests 

Safe  wastes 

Refrigerator  wastes 

Grease  traps 

Blow-off  tanks 

Mechanical  discharge  sys- 
tems 

Septic  tank 

Filter  beds 

Contact  beds 

Disposal  fields 

Stall  drains 


87 


Plumbing     Plans    and     Specifications 


WATER   SUPPLY 


Wells 

Reservoirs 

Cisterns 

Standpipes 

Windmills 

Hydraulic  rams 

Water-softening  apparatus 

Water-supply  pipes 

Pressure  regulators 

Service  pipe 

Meters 

Filters 

Suction  tank 

House  pump 

House  tank 

Street  sprinklers 

House  supply 


Distributing  manifolds 
Air  chamber 
Hot- water  tank 
Water  heater 
Smoke  pipe 
Hot-water  pipes 
Circulation  pipes 
Expansion  loops  or  joints 
Covering  pipes  and  tanks 
Temperature  regulators 
Safety  valves 
System  of  valving 
Drip  pipes 
Fire  lines 
Ice-water  pipes 
Salt-water  pipes 
Rain-water  pipes 


FIXTURES 


Water-closets 
Bath  tubs 
Shower  baths 
Lavatories 
Hospital  lavatories 
Sitz  baths 
Foot  baths 
Bidets 
Child's  bath 
Slop  sinks 
Hospital  slop  sinks 
Pantry  sinks 


Laundry  tubs 
Kitchen  and  scullery  sinks 
Urinals 

Drinking  fountains 
Bathroom  scales 
Bathroom  furnishings 
Hydrotherapeutic  appara- 
tus 

Swimming  pools 
Manicure  tables  and  basins 
Operating  tables 


The  foregoing  schedule  does  not  include  every- 
thing which  is  liable  to  be  required  in  all  types  of 
buildings,  but  the  items  will  suggest  anything 
which  is  not  named.  For  instance,  Fire  Lines  does 
not  mention  outside  fire  hydrants,  such  as  would 


Plumbing    P  ]  a  n  s~  a  n  d    Specifications 

be  required  for  a  country  institution,  but  the  item 
recalls  the  necessity  for  fire  protection,  and  should 
suggest  to  an  imaginative  mind  the  necessity  for 
hydrants.  In  like  manner  the  item  water-heater 
would  suggest  to  the  mind  the  apparatus  to  be  used 
for  this  purpose,  whether  a  coal  water-heater  or 
steam  coil. 

When  writing  a  plumbing  specification,  a  good 
plan  is  to  take  up  one  of  the  subdivisions  at  a  time 
and  state  all  that  is  to  be  said  about  that  particular 
subject  before  leaving  it  and  taking  up  another. 
Never  confuse  two  or  more  subjects  and  jump  from 
one  to  the  other,  first  stating  something  about  one, 
then  flying  off  to  a  second,  back  to  the  first  and 
then  off  to  a  third.  For  example,  if  specifying  the 
water-supply  pipe  for  a  building,  treat  the  subject 
as  though  there  would  be  no  valves  in  the  system, 
then  having  disposed  of  the  water-supply  pipes, 
take  up  the  matter  of  valving  under  the  title  "Sys- 
tem of  Valving,"  and  state  explicitly  the  kind  of 
valves  to  be  used,  and  where  each  valve  shall  be 
placed.  If  this  system  is  followed,  confusion  will 
be  avoided  both  in  writing  and  in  interpreting  the 
specifications.  To  make  this  point  clear,  a  para- 
graph is  here  quoted  from  an  imaginary  specifica- 
tion, so  that  it  can  be  analyzed  to  point  out  what  to 
do  to  make  a  specification  simple,  concise  and  clear. 

WATER  SUPPLY 

"WATER  MAIN.— From  the  water  main  in  Broad  Street 
run  a  I|-inch  extra-heavy  galvanized-iron  service  pipe  into 
the  cellar  through  the  front  foundation  wall.  Coat  this  pipe 
with  a  heavy  covering  of  pitch  tar,  or  paint  to  prevent  cor- 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

rosion.  Secure  and  pay  for  a  l|-inch  tapping  to  the  water 
main.  Connect  the  galvanized  service  pipe  to  the  corpora- 
tion cock  with  a  IJ-inch  double  extra-strong  lead  pipe  and 
brass  solder  nipple  connections.  Locate  a  ground-key  stop 
cock  and  a  cast-iron  curb  box  at  the  curb.  Bury  the  service 
pipe  line  at  least  3  feet  below  the  ground  and  finish  with  1J- 
inch  plugged  T-fitting  inside  of  cellar  wall.  At  the  house 
side  of  the  T-fitting  screw  a  l£-inch  brass  body  gate  valve 
with  an  emptying  cock  on  the  house  side  of  the  valve.  On 
the  house  side  of  this  emptying  cock  place  a  1  J-inch  No  Leak 
pressure-regulating  valve.  Attach  a  suitable  pressure  gauge 
on  the  house  side  of  the  pressure-regulating  valve  and  set 
the  valve  so  that  it  will  hold  up  40  pounds  per  square  inch 
pressure  in  the  building,  independent  of  the  street  variations. 
From  the  street  side  of  the  pressure-regulating  valve  take 
off  a  f-inch  galvanized  iron  pipe  connection,  run  same  to 
supply  a  f-inch  hose  cock,  to  be  located  where  directed  by 
the  architect  for  lawn-sprinkling  purposes,  and  place  a 
f-inch  roundway  ground  key  stop  and  waste  cock  on  this  line 
in  the  cellar.  Continue  from  the  pressure-regulating  valve 
with  a  IJ-inch  galvanized  iron  water  pipe  to  the  several 
risers.  Leave  a  plugged  T-fitting  where  directed  by  the 
architect  to  supply  a  steam  boiler  in  the  future." 

The  foregoing  imaginary  specification  is  faulty 
in  many  ways.  In  the  first  place,  it  starts  in  to 
describe  the  run  of  the  pipe,  then  swings  to  the 
kind  of  pipe  to  be  used,  goes  back  to  the  run,  then 
switches  off  into  covering  the  pipe.  Making  an- 
other start,  it  takes  up  permits  and  payments  for 
tapping,  follows  with  description  of  method  and 
materials  for  connection,  then  jumps  to  the  location 
of  a  stop  cock  and  box.  Back  it  goes  to  the  run 
and  depth  of  the  pipe,  and  again  comes  back  to 
valves  and  drip  cocks.  Next  comes  a  pressure-re- 
ducing apparatus,  then  a  pressure  gauge,  followed 
by  adjustment  of  the  pressure  regulator.  Back 

90 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

i 

goes  the  specification  to  the  run  of  the  pipe,  which 
is  left  indefinite;  next  to  stop  cock,  then  off  to  the 
run  of  pipe  again.  Such  a  specification  is  not  only 
hard  to  write  and  difficult  to  follow,  but  is  lacking 
in  clearness,  simplicity  and  conciseness.  Besides 
the  defects  pointed  out,  the  specification  is  open  to 
the  further  objection  that  in  parts  it  is  indefinite. 
A  |-inch  iron  pipe  is  to  be  run  to  supply  a  1-inch 
hose  bibb  "to  be  located  where  directed  by  the 
architect. "  That  is  an  uncertainty  which  can  al- 
ways be  avoided  by  deciding  definitely  at  the  time 
the  specifications  are  written  at  what  point  the 
hose  bibb,  or  whatever  other  part  it  may  be,  will 
be  located,  and  incorporating  the  information  in 
the  specifications.  Not  having  been  stated  in  the 
specifications  or  shown  on  the  plans,  the  estimator 
will  have  to  allow  the  greatest  possible  run  in  order 
to  protect  himself,  and  an  additional  allowance  for 
time  in  waiting  for  a  decision  or  hunting  the  archi- 
tect for  information.  In  like  manner,  the  location 
of  the  outlet  for  the  boiler  could  and  should  have 
been  determined  upon  and  the  location  shown  on 
the  plans. 

Much  of  the  confusion  in  specifications  of  this 
character  can  be  avoided  by  showing  the  water- 
supply  system  on  the  plans.  When  this  is  done, 
the  runs  and  sizes  can  be  marked  thereon  and  can 
then  be  omitted  from  the  specifications.  If  this  be 
done  in  the  fore-going  example,  it  will  simplify 
matters  to  such  an  extent  that  the  kind  of  pipe, 
connection  to  the  main,  valves  and  pressure-reduc- 
ing outfit  are  all  that  will  have  had  to  be  covered 
separately  by  the  specification;  the  securing  of  per- 

91 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

mits  and  payment  for  permits  and  taps  having 
been  taken  care  of  in  the  general  condition,  '  'Per- 
mits and  Plumbing  Laws."  The  whole  section 
describing  the  run  of  the  service  pipe  and  connec- 
tions can  then  be  specified  in  something  like  the 
following  manner: 

Service  Pipe. — The  contractor  shall  have  in- 
serted in  the  water  main,  in  the  street  indicated  on 
the  basement  plan,  one  li-inch  tap,  which  shall  be 
connected  to  the  service  pipe  by  means  of  3  feet  of 
double  extra-strong  lead  pipe.  All  that  portion  of 
the  service  pipe  buried  in  the  earth  shall  have  one 
heavy  coat  of  pitch,  tar  or  paint. 

The  sentence  in  the  description  of  the  water 
supply  that  '  'the  water-supply  system  throughout 
the  building  shall  be  of  galvanized  wrought  pipe 
with  galvanized  malleable  fittings' '  sufficiently 
takes  care  of  the  material  of  the  service  pipe,  so 
that  would  not  have  to  be  touched  upon  again,  and 
under  the  title  "System  of  Valving"  the  statement 
"there  shall  be  a  IJ-inch  roundway  stop  cock,  fitted 
with  a  long  handle,  located  inside  a  cast-iron  ex- 
tension curb  box  at  the  curb,  and  a  IJ-inch  gate 
valve  with  a  1-inch  drip  valve,  located  just  inside 
the  foundation  wall,"  would  take  care  of  the  curb 
cock  and  valves,  and  at  the  same  time  give  more 
definite  information  about  these  points.  The  pres- 
sure regulator  is  an  apparatus,  and,  with  the  ac- 
companying pressure  gauge,  should  be  separately 
treated  under  the  subheading  of  '  'Pressure  Regu- 
lator." It  will  thus  be  seen  that,  by  uprooting  the 
several  tangled  subjects  and  placing  each  in  its 

92 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

proper  place,  the  description  becomes  not  only 
simpler  and  easier  to  write,  but  clearer  and  easier 
to  understand.  To  prepare  a  good  plan  ,and  write 
a  satisfactory  specification  the  designer  must  be 
perfectly  familiar  with  the  various  materials  which 
will  enter  into  the  work.  The  object  is  to  get  the 
very  best  installation  at  the  least  possible  cost,  and 
to  do  so  he  must  know  the  various  grades  of  goods 
and  be  familiar  with  the  various  improvements  in 
faucets,  valves  and  apparatus,  so  that  he  can  select 
the  best  suited  to  the  purpose  in  each  case  and  not 
be  driven  to  the  expedient  of  specifying  the  best 
and  most  expensive  goods  for  installations  when 
regular  stock  goods  would  answer  the  purpose  as 
well.  The  designer  should  be  so  well  posted  in  the 
various  goods  and  know  so  well  which  are  best  for 
each  case  that  he  can  specify  the  exact  goods  want- 
ed. In  doing  so  it  is  better  to  select  two  or  three 
similar  grades  of  goods,  any  of  which  will  be  ac- 
ceptable, and  specify  that  the  material  called  for 
shall  be  one  of  the  makes  mentioned,  than  to  call 
for  one  make  of  goods  as  a  standard,  or  something 
"equally  good."  For  instance,  it  is  better  to  state 
that  "all  valves  used  in  connection  with  the  water 
supply  shall  be  FairbamVs,  Crane's  or  Jenkins 
Brothers 's  soft  seat  heavy  pattern  cast-brass  globe 
valves  with  wooden  handles,"  than  to  say  the 
"valves  shall  all  be  Jenkins  Brothers's  soft  seat 
heavy  pattern  cast-brass  globe  valves,  with  wooden 
wheels,  or  equally  good."  In  the  first  case,  the 
designer  knows  the  quality  of  the  three  makes 
specified  and,  while  allowing  opportunity  for  fair 
competition,  assures  himself  that  in  any  event  a 

93 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

satisfactory  make  of  valve  will  be  used.  In  the 
second  case  the  door  is  opened  for  the  substitution 
of  inferior,  light-weight  or  otherwise  unsatisfac- 
tory goods,  without  the  benefit  of  competition,  or, 
on  the  other  hand,  stifles  competition,  for  the 
clause  "or  equally  good"  leaves  it  in  the  designer's 
power  to  object  that  no  valve  submitted  is  equally 
good,  thereby  insisting  on  having  Jenkins  Broth- 
ers 's  valves  used.  To  protect  himself,  therefore,  a 
careful  estimator  will  take  that  into  consideration 
and  figure  on  that  make  of  goods,  while  other  con- 
tractors may  estimate  on  the  goods  specified  as  a 
standard,  depending  later  on  substituting  "equally 
good"  valves  if  permitted.  That  is  a  form  of  speci- 
fication often  used  where  favorites  are  intended  to 
get  the  work.  Any  outsider  securing  the  contract 
would  have  to  install  the  standard  goods  specified, 
while  favorites  can  rely  on  substituting  the  '  'equally 
good."  When  a  fair,  impartial  specification  is  de- 
sired the  alternative  of  two  or  more  equal  grades 
of  goods  is  the  better  plan  to  follow.  The  best 
plan  in  specifying  fixtures  for  ordinary  work  is  to 
call  for  one  make  of  goods  without  alternative. 
All  estimators  are  then  put  upon  the  same  footing 
and  figure  on  an  equally  good  installation.  In  very 
large  installations  the  best  plan  is  to  select  two 
makes  of  goods  of  similar  quality,  and  specify  them 
as  alternatives.  In  selecting  the  fixtures  however 
care  must  be  exercised  to  see  that  the  goods  are 
exactly  of  the  same  quality,  not  specifying  them 
because  they  look  alike  and  are  of  the  same  list 
price.  For  instance,  one  make  of  closet  might  be 
almost  noiseless  in  action,  while  another  very  simi- 

94 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

lar  in  appearance  and  of  the  same  price  would  be 
extremely  noisy.  It  stands  to  reason  that  in  such  a 
case  equal  grades  of  goods  would  not  be  selected. 
In  specifying  fixtures  and  special  apparatus, 
such  as  pumps,  filters  and  hydraulic  rams,  some 
articles  are  so  much  better  suited  than  others  to 
the  installation  under  consideration  that  there 
should  be  no  hesitancy  in  specifying  them  without 
reserve.  Manufacturers  who  place  upon  the  mar- 
ket a  line  of  goods  of  such  excellence  that  they 
command  public  confidence  are  entitled  to  have 
their  goods  mentioned  as  the  only  ones  acceptable 
when  in  the  estimation  of  the  designer  they  are  the 
best  for  the  purpose.  Some  hesitate  to  do  this  for 
fear  of  being  charged  with  favoritism,  and  make 
the  error  of  specifying  certain  fixtures,  '  'or  equally 
good."  If,  however,  in  the  judgment  of  the  de- 
signer, fixtures  of  a  certain  character  are  what  he 
believes  suitable  for  a  certain  installation,  he  should 
specify  them  by  catalogue  number  and  without 
alternative.  His  client,  in  placing  the  work  in  his 
hands,  has  signified  perfect  confidence  in  his  judg- 
ment and  integrity,  and  these  he  should  exercise 
to  the  best  of  his  ability.  Having  specified  certain 
goods,  for  the  reason  that  they  are  the  best  for 
that  purpose,  no  alteration  or  substitution  should 
be  permitted.  This  is  not  to  be  interpreted  as 
meaning  that  new  materials  and  apparatus  are  not 
to  be  given  a  trial,  for  if  such  a  principal  were 
followed  there  would  be  no  progress  in  sanitary 
matters.  What  is  meant  is,  that  the  plumbing  in 
a  building  having  once  been  planned  and  specified 
to  the  best  of  a  designer's  ability,  not  to  change 

95 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

the  drawings  or  specifications  to  try  something  new 
just  then  being  floated  on  the  market.  If  the  new 
article  promises  well,  keep  it  in  mind  and,  if  so  in- 
clined, try  it  in  the  next  installation  where  it  will 
be  suitable.  By  this  method  the  new  goods  will  be 
in  mind  when  making  the  drawings  and  writing 
the  specifications,  which  can  be  prepared  accord- 
ingly. By  following  this  plan  there  will  be  no 
danger  of  mixing  up  the  specifications  by  altering 
them  and  thus  open  the  door  for  vexatious  extras. 

The  chief  fault  of  most  plumbing  specifications 
lies  in  the  fact  that  they  are  indefinite,  and  leave 
the  contracting  plumber  to  work  out  problems 
which  should  have  been  settled  by  the  designer  and 
the  solution  inserted  in  the  plans  and  specifications. 
For  instance,  in  a  specification  recently  prepared 
by  a  sanitary  engineer  the  following  paragraph 
was  incorporated: 

"Ample  Water  Supply  to  Fixtures:  All  water 
closets  and  other  plumbing  fixtures  must  be  pro- 
vided with  an  ample  supply  of  water  for  proper 
flushing  and  to  keep  them  in  a  cleanly  condition." 

Instead  of  requiring  "an  ample  supply  to  all 
fixtures,"  the  designer  should  be  more  specific. 
He  is  in  possession  of  data  as  to  the  source  and 
pressure  of  water,  and  from  this  knowledge  should 
calculate  the  sizes  of  pipes,  both  mains  and  fixture 
branches.  Having  calculated  and  specified  the 
various  sizes  of  pipe  he  knows  that  the  fixtures 
will  have  ample  supplies,  and  relieves  the  contract- 
or of  the  responsibility  of  calculating  the  sizes  and 
doing  work  which  rightly  belongs  to  the  designer. 
The  main  thing  is  to  be  specific.  For  instance,  in- 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

stead  of  requiring  an  ample  supply  of  water  to  fix- 
tures, state  that  the  supply  to  lavatories  shall  be 
J-inch,  to  bath  tubs  |-ineh,  and  to  closet  i-inch,  or 
whatever  other  sizes  the  conditions  warrant 

In  the  same  specification  also  appeared  the  fol- 
lowing paragraph: 

"Expansion:  Due  allowance  shall  be  made  for 
the  expansion  of  horizontal  and  vertical  hot  and 
circulation  pipes  throughout  the  building,  and  pre- 
caution taken  against  damage  therefrom. " 

That  is  a  very  vague  and  indefinite  statement 
to  estimate  on,  and  again  places  upon  the  contract- 
or the  burden  of  devising  satisfactory  means.  The 
proper  way  is  to  calculate  at  what  points  expansion 
loops  will  be  required,  then  mark  the  locations  on 
the  plans,  show  details  of  them,  and  cover  in  the 
specifications  what  cannot  be  shown  in  the  draw- 
ings. At  all  events,  the  designer  should  do  his 
own  work,  not  pass  it  along  to  the  contractor. 

To  briefly  sum  up,  if  specifications  are  to  in- 
sure a  good,  full  and  complete  installation,  without 
extras,  and  are  to  provide  for  fair  competition, 
taken  in  connection  with  the  plans,  they  must  be 
complete  and  clear.  If  they  are  incomplete,  vague, 
indefinite,  ambiguous  or  capable  of  more  than  one 
construction,  the  door  is  opened  to  favoritism,  dis- 
putes, high  prices  and  charges  for  extra  work. 

To  insure  fair  competition  the  specifications 
must  be  worded  so  the  bidders  will  estimate  on  ex- 
actly the  same  things;  nothing  should  be  left  to  the 
discretion  of  the  architect,  and  the  contractor 
should  not  be  required  to  assume  any  risks  for  un- 
known conditions  incident  to  the  work. 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

A  condition  which  appears  in  most  specifica- 
tions and  which  is  a  condition  of  weakness,  as  it 
does  not  insure  what  it  calls  for,  is  the  clause  that 
"all  work  and  material  shall  be  first  class  in  every 
respect' ' ;  and  the  sooner  the  truth  about  the  mat- 
ter is  realized  the  better  for  all  concerned. 

The  architect  or  designer  gets  no  better  work 
and  material  than  he  specifically  shows  and  calls 
for,  if  he  shows  a  poorly  planned  and  badly  laid 
out  system  with  inadequate  water  main  and  other 
defects  of  design,  the  contractor  has  complied  with 
his  contract  when  he  has  installed  the  work  accord- 
ingly, although  it  is  not  a  first  class  job,  nor  can  he 
be  made  make  it  first  class  under  the  terms  of  his 
contract. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  the  work  is  well  propor- 
tioned, properly  laid  out,  the  right  kind  of  mater- 
ials specified  and  the-  plumber  required  to  put  the 
work  together  in  such  a  manner  that  no  tool  marks 
or  other  abrasions  will  show,  then  the  architect 
will  secure  a  first  class  job,  although  the  words 
were  not  mentioned  in  the  specifications.  This  all 
comes  back  to  the  point  that  it  is  the  man  who  lays- 
out  and  designs  the  work  who  determines  the  qual- 
ity. If  the  planning  is  not  first  class,  nothing  the 
plumbers  or  contractors  can  possibly  do  will  bring 
it  within  that  class.  Sometimes  an  architect  speci- 
fies that  "all  goods  shall  be  the  best  of  the  several 
kinds ",  then  calls  for  a  certain  fixture  without 
specifying  whether  it  shall  be  an  A  quality,  B 
quality  or  C  quality.  Under  the  terms  of  such  a 
specification  a  fixture  of  either  grade  would  fill  the 
requirement,  provided  it  was  one  of  the  best  of  that 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

class.  For  instance,  if  a  porcelain  tub  were  called 
for  under  such  a  clause,  a  B  or  C  tub  would  fill  the 
bill,  provided  it  was  the  best  B  or  C  tub  that  could 
be  procured.  Such  a  specification  is  loose  in  the 
extreme.  It  should  state  specifically  whether  A, 
B  or  C  goods  are  wanted.  In  the  absence  of  such 
a  statement  different  contractors,  according  to  the 
lights,  will  figure  on  the  different  grades. 

Specifying  Goods  According  to  Standards. — A 

very  good  way  of  specifying  materials,  when  it  can 
be  done,  is  according  to  certain  standards  laid  down 
in  the  specifications.  Such  a  method  permits  of 
the  widest  possible  competition  while  at  the  same 
time  assuring  a  standard  of  goods  equal  to  that 
called  for.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  however, 
that  under  such  a  specification  a  more  rigid  inspec- 
tion of  the  goods  will  be  necessary  than  when  they 
are  specified  from  the  stock  of  a  well-known  and 
high-grade  manufacturer's  catalogue,  for  irrespon- 
sible makers  are  liable  to  take  a  chance  on  goods 
which  to  a  casual  inspection  seem  up  to  the  stand- 
ard, but  do  not  bear  a  close  examination.  Such 
pipe  is  among  the  materials  which  are  specified  ac- 
cording to  standards,  and  even  though  the  sizes, 
weights  and  other  properties  of  soil  pipe  are  gen- 
erally specified,  many  manufacturers  ship  goods 
that  are  far  from  being  up  to  the  standards.  Extra 
heavy  soil  pipe  often  has  considerable  below  the 
specified  weights,  while  in  other  cases  it  is  far 
from  being  * 'sound  cylindrical  and  smooth,  free 
from  sand  holes  and  other  defects."  In  large 
buildings,  where  many  fixtures  are  to  be  used, 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

drawings  can  be  made  of  them  if  special  designs 
are  wanted,  or  a  specification  can  be  made  up  from 
a  fixture  which  has  already  been  found  satisfactory 
in  use. 

A  good  example  of  specifying  according  to 
standards  may  be  cited  in  the  case  of  floor  connec- 
tions for  water  closets  and  slop  sinks.  Metal-to- 
metal  connections  are  now  becoming  rapidly  adopt- 
ed in  practice,  likewise  flexible  bends  for  connect- 
ing water  closets  and  slop  sinks  to  drainage  sys- 
tems. To  have  to  select  certain  types  of  floor  con- 
nections or  lead  bends  for  each  installation  is  a  dif- 
ficult matter,  and  the  best  way  is  to  specify  ac- 
cording to  standards.  A  provision  for  floor  connec- 
tions which  is  applicable  to  all  approved  floor  flanges 
may  be  written  as  follows: 

Closet  and  Slop  Sink  Floor  Connections. — Closets  and 
slop  sinks  shall  be  connected  to  the  drainage  system  by 
means  of  adjustable,  flexible,  metal-to-metal  floor  flanges. 
The  use  of  putty,  paste,  cement  or  gaskets  of  any  kind  in 
the  drainage  system  is  absolutely  prohibited. 

A  section  like  the  following  will  insure  the  use  of  ex- 
pansion and  settlement  fittings  which  will  prevent  damage 
to  the  system  or  fixtures: 

Lead  Connections  for  Closet  and  Slop  Sinks.— Each  water 
closet  and  slop  sink  shall  be  connected  to  the  drainage  sys- 
tem with  at  least  3  inches  of  lead  pipe  intervening  between 
the  floor  flange  and  the  soil  pipe.  This  lead  pipe  shall  be  cor- 
rugated with  at  least  two  corrugations  to  make  it  flexible  so 
it  will  give  under  shrinkage  or  settlement  without  damage  to 
fixtures. 


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CHAPTER  VIII 


ANALYSIS  OF  SPECIFICATIONS 


INTERPRETATION   OF   PLANS 
AND   SPECIFICATIONS 

HERE  are  many  paragraphs  in  specifi- 
cations, particularly  under  the  heading 
of  "General  Conditions,"  which  might 
seem  unnecessary.  There  is  nothing 
which  enters  into  the  wording  of  a 
specification,  however,  which  is  not  an  important 
part  of  that  document,  and  does  not  serve  a  useful 
purpose,  as  the  following  analysis  will  show. 
Specifications  usually  start  out  with  a  paragraph  to 
the  effect  that  the  plans  and  specifications  are  to 
be  construed  together,  and  that  anything  shown  on 
the  drawings  but  not  mentioned  in  the  specifica- 
tions, or  anything  mentioned  in  the  specifications 
but  not  shown  on  the  drawings,  shall  be  included 
in  the  work  as  though  fully  shown  and  mentioned 
in  both  the  plans  and  specifications.  This  at  first 
thought  might  seem  an  unreasonable  requirement, 
but  it  is  far  from  being  so.  The  conventional  sym- 
bols used  to  designate  plumbing  work,  fixtures  or 
apparatus  on  drawings  might  not  always  be  clearly 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

indicated,  may  be  so  confused  by  other  lines  as  not 
to  be  recognizable,  or  might  be  omitted  altogether, 
in  any,  of  which  cases  they  would  not  be  seen  or 
recognized  by  the  estimator.  If,  however,  in  the 
specifications  specific  mention  is  made  of  these 
materials,  apparatus  or  fixtures,  he  is  put  upon  in- 
quiry, and  can  find  out  if  such  goods  are  to  be  in- 
cluded. If  he  fails  or  neglects  to  do  so  it  is  at  his 
own  risk.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  work,  fixtures 
or  apparatus  are  clearly  shown  on  the  drawings  but 
not  mentioned  in  the  specifications,  here  again  he 
is  put  upon  inquiry,  and  neglects  to  find  out  at  his 
own  cost. 

A  further  condition  of  this  section  usually  is 
that  any  material  or  labor  obviously  required  to 
complete  the  work  shall  be  included  in  the  specifi- 
cations as  fully  as  though  mentioned  in  the  specifi- 
cations and  shown  on  the  plans.  This  paragraph 
is  intended,  however,  to  include  such  necessary 
materials  only  as  screws,  bolts,  brackets,  etc., 
without  which  the  fixtures  could  not  be  secured  in 
place,  and  must  not  be  mistaken  to  include  mater- 
ials which  are  necessary  to  the  complete  work  but 
which  might  be  supplied  by  some  other  contractor. 
For  instance,  the  marble  stalls  for  urinals,  com- 
partments for  water  closets  and  wainscoting  in 
toilet  rooms  are  sometimes  included  in  the  plumb- 
ing specifications,  and  at  other  times  in  the  specifi- 
cations for  marble  work.  If  mention  of  these  stalls 
and  compartments  is  omitted  from  the  plumbing 
specification,  and  nothing  on  the  plans  indicates 
that  this  material  is  to  be  furnished  by  the  plumber, 
it  cannot  reasonably  be  considered  part  of  his  con- 

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Plumbing    Plants    and    Specifications 

tract,  although  shown  on  the  plans  and  obviously 
necessary  to  the  completion  of  the  plumbing  work. 
The  reason  for  this  is  that  marble  is  not  distinctly 
a  plumbing  material,  and,  therefore,  the  estimator 
is  not  put  upon  inquiry  if  the  matter  is  not  in  some 
way,  on  plans  or  in  specifications,  indicated  as  be- 
longing to  the  plumbing  contract.  The  same  may 
be  said  of  the  kitchen  range,  which  sometimes,  but 
not  usually,  is  furnished  by  the  plumbing  contract- 
or. To  put  the  estimator  on  inquiry,  the  work  or 
materials  shown  must  be  distinctly  plumbing  work 
or  materials,  and  not  work  and  materials  which  are 
sometimes  made  part  of  a  plumbing  contract.  He 
is  justified  in  believing,  when  no  mention  is  made 
in  his  specification  of  the  latter  class  of  goods  and 
work,  that  he  is  not  to  estimate  on  them.  Mater- 
ials and  work  obviously  necessary  to  complete  the 
plumbing  work  can  only  be  stretched  to  cover  little 
details  belonging  to  fixtures  or  work  already  speci- 
fied, but  cannot  be  extended  to  include  entirely 
new  fixtures  or  separate  lines  of  pipes.  For  in- 
stance, it  would  be  obviously  necessary  to  make 
tight  the  joints  around  vent  pipes  where  they  are 
extended  through  the  roof,  and  the  flashing  of 
pipes  at  this  point  would  be  part  of  the  plumbing 
work;  but  escutcheons  and  sleeves  are  not  neces- 
sary where  pipes  pass  through  walls  and  ceilings, 
and  would  not  be  required  unless  specified.  It 
might  be  well  to  add  that  while  it  would  be  neces- 
sary for  the  plumbing  contractor  to  make  tight  the 
joints  where  vent  pipes  are  extended  through  the 
roofs,  in  the  absence  of  a  city  ordinance,  or  a  clause 
in  the  specifications  directing  how  they  shall  be 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

made  tight  and  the  weight  and  quality  of  materials 
to  use,  he  is  justified  in  suiting  his  own  views  on 
that  point. 

Description  of  Drawings. — To  prevent  the  ac- 
cidental or  intentional  substitution  of  plans  instead 
of  those  estimated  on,  and  on  which  the  estimate 
and  contract  are  based,  it  is  a  good,  safe  practice 
to  describe  the  drawings  in  the  specifications  and 
for  the  owner  and  contractor,  or  the  architect  and 
contractor,  to  sign  them  for  identification.  In  case 
of  after-disputes,  if  the  case  goes  to  court,  matters 
are  thus  simplified  by  having  as  a  signed  part  of 
the  contract  and  record  the  plans  and  specifications 
on  which  the  contract  is  based.  In  some  specifica- 
cations  a  clause  is  inserted  reciting  that  the  plans 
and  specifications  are  the  property  of  the  architect 
and  must  be  returned  to  the  architect  before  final 
payment  will  be  made.  This  claim  of  the  architects 
of  ownership  of  the  plans  and  specifications  has 
been  repeatedly  denied  by  the  courts,  but,  outside 
of  the  legal  status  of  the  case,  the  logical  view 
would  seem  to  indicate  that  the  plans  and  specifi- 
cations forming  as  they  do  part  of  the  plumbing 
contract,  as  such  belong  exclusively  to  the  plumb- 
ing contractor,  which  he  should  preserve  for  his 
own  protection;  and  to  ask  or  insist  on  him  return- 
ing the  drawings  and  specifications  is  as  unreason- 
able as  to  require  him  to  surrender  his  written  con- 
tract of  which  they  form  part.  The  clause  is  such 
a  senseless  one,  and  of  so  little  account  to  the  archi- 
tect, that  it  is  as  well  omitted. 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

Permits  and  Plumbing  Laws. — Permits  are 
usually  required  and  fees  exacted  for  opening 
streets,  connecting  to  street  sewers,  and  tapping 
water  mains;  and,  so  the  question  by  whom  the  ex- 
penses will  be  borne  cannot  later  arise,  a  clause  is 
usually  inserted  in  every  plumbing  specification  ex- 
plicitly stating  that  the  plumbing  contractor  shall 
pay  for  and  secure  all  permits.  In  the  same  sec- 
tion a  clause  is  inserted  making  the  plumbing  laws 
and  regulations  of  the  city  in  which  the  work  is  to 
be  performed  part  of  the  contract,  in  so  far  that 
the  contractor  must  observe  all  such  laws  and  regu- 
lations and  install  the  work  in  conformity  with 
them.  This  clause  closes  the  doors  on  "extras" 
due  to  the  fact  that  some  work  or  material  is  not 
acceptable  to  the  plumbing  department,  for  the 
plumber,  who  should  keep  posted  as  to  the  require- 
ments of  the  health  and  building  departments,  is 
supposed  to  have  been  aware  of  any  difference  be- 
tween the  plans  and  specifications,  as  prepared, 
and  the  plumbing  laws,  and  to  have  covered  hin> 
self  accordingly  by  estimating  on  the  method  en- 
tailing the  greater  expense. 

Number  and  Location  of  Fixtures. — In  the 

specifications  it  is  well  to  specify  in  tabular  form 
the  number  of  each  kind  of  fixture  that  will  be  in- 
stalled in  the  building  and  the  floors  on  which  they 
will  be  installed.  This  tabular  statement  has  refer- 
ence to  the  number  of  fixtures  and  not  their  kinds, 
-which  are  treated  in  separate  paragraphs.  It  is 
well,  likewise,  to  state  the  number  of  apparatus, 
such  as  pumps,  meters  and  filters,  that  will  be  re- 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

quired,  so  that  the  number  of  every  kind  of  fixture 
and  apparatus  to  be  used  can  be  seen  at  a  glance. 
This  table  serves  as  a  check  for  the  estimator,  so 
he  will  not  be  likely  to  overlook  any  of  the  expen- 
sive items  entering  into  his  work.  It  is  assumed, 
of  course,  that  he  will  check  up  the  number  of  fix- 
tures specified  with  those  shown  on  the  plans,  and 
if  any  discrepancy  is  found  to  bring  the  matter  im- 
mediately to  the  attention  of  the  architect.  It 
might  be  well  to  add  in  this  place  that  when  a  dis- 
crepancy between  the  plans  and  specifications  is 
brought  to  the  attention  of  an  architect  he  should 
make  the  correction  immediately  and  notify  all 
who  have  estimated  on  the  work,  so  that  they  can 
take  the  correction  into  consideration  and  estimate 
on  an  equal  basis  with  those  who  take  off  their 
items  after  the  correction  is  made.  In  like  manner, 
if  the  drawings  or  specifications  are  so  incomplete 
or  ambiguous  that  verbal  information  is  required 
to  explain  them,  the  plans  and  specifications  should 
be  amended  or  corrected,  and  notice  sent  to  all  who 
have  estimated  on  the  work.  It  is  desirable  that 
the  architect  check  up  his  own  work  to  see  that  the 
number  of  fixtures  shown  on  the  drawings  and 
called  for  in  the  specifications  tally,  for  if  they  do 
not,  in  order  to  protect  themselves,  the  contractors 
will  have  to  estimate  on  the  highest  quantity  called 
for.  The  architect  should  make  sure  that  his  draw- 
ings and  the  quantities  stated  in  his  specifications 
are  correct,  and  he  will  not  then  be  forced  to  place 
in  his  specifications  the  humiliating  statement  that 
he  is  not  responsible  for  the  quantities  stated.  If 
anybody  is  supposed  or  ought  to  know  what  mater- 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


ial  and  fixtures  are  going  in  a  building  it  is  the  ar- 
chitect, and  when  he  expresses  himself  as  having 
no  confidence  in  his  own  work  others  cannot  be  ex- 
pected to  have  confidence  in  it. 

A  concise  way  of  showing  the  number  of  fix- 
tures in  a  building  in  a  convenient  tabular  form,  so 
the  fixtures  on  the  various  floors  can  easily  be 
checked,  is  shown  in  the  following  table: 

NUMBER  AND  LOCATION  OF  FIXTURES 


Location  of 
Fixtures 

Water 
Closets 

Lava- 
tories 

Bath- 
tubs 

Sinks 

Laundry 
Tubs 

Basement 

First  floor  

Second  floor  

Thirdfloor  

Fourth  floor 

Fifth  floor 

Sixth  floor  
Seventh  floor 

Totals  

The  items  in  such  a  table  can  be  extended  to 
include  every  type  of  fixture  to  be  used  within  the 
building  and  the  number  of  stories  can  be  increased 
to  any  extent. 

By  using  such  a  table  the  probability  of  over- 
looking any  of  the  fixtures  is  reduced  to  the  mini- 
mum. 

Superintendence  and  Inspection. — To  facili- 
tate the  work  of  installation  it  is  necessary  to  have 
some  one  present  at  all  times  with  authority  to  act 
for  the  plumbing  contractor.  This  may  be  the 
journeyman  doing  the  work  on  small  jobs,  or  a  spe- 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

cial  foreman  on  large  installations;  but  whoever  it 
may  be  should  be  vested  with  sufficient  authority 
to  act  in  the  stead  of  the  contractor  in  any  of  the 
ordinary  problems  which  arise  for  consideration 
from  time  to  time  as  the  worK  progresses. 

In  the  absence  of  a  plumbing  law  to  the  con- 
trary, or  a  clause  in  the  specifications  preventing 
such  a  course,  the  plumber,  as  soon  as  his  work  is 
completed,  can  cover  it,  thus  concealing  any  de- 
fects from  sight.  To  prevent  such  practice,  a 
clause  should  be  inserted  in  every  specification 
stating  that  no  work  shall  be  concealed  from  sight 
until  passed  by  the  architect,  his  representative  or 
whoever  has  charge  of  the  work. 

Beginning  and   Termination  of  Work.— In 

writing  specifications,  it  is  well  to  take  into  consid- 
eration both  the  time  and  point  of  beginning  work, 
how  it  shall  be  proceeded  with  and  when  com- 
pleted. In  many  large  cities,  contractors  of  no 
financial  responsibility  secure  work  on  a  tempting 
bid,  with  no  intention  of  proceeding  with  the  work 
for  the  price,  but  intend,  by  holding  back  the  com- 
pletion of  the  building,  to  force  a  larger  sum  from 
the  owner  than  would  be  required  by  a  responsible 
concern  to  do  the  work,  besides  having  their  bills 
guaranteed  for  them.  Sometimes  they  are  bought 
off  at  a  good  round  figure  by  the  owner,  who  is 
glad  to  be  rid  of  them  at  any  price. 

To  prevent  such  practice,  the  specification 
should  declare  when  work  on  the  contract  shall  be- 
gin, how  progress,  and  when  terminate,  with  the 
relief  to  be  afforded  the  owner  in  case  the  con- 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

tractor  fails  to  fulfil  the  terms  of  the  contract. 
Such  a  section  may  be  worded  something  like  the 
following : 

'The  contractor  shall  begin  work  on  the  instal- 
lation of  the  plumbing  within  three  days  after 
signing  the  contract,  and  shall  proceed  with  his 
work  in  such  manner  as  not  to  hinder  the  other 
workmen  or  delay  the  completion  of  the  building. 
By  the  time  the  building  is  ready  for  lathing  (if  a 
frame  building),  or  by  the  time  the  floor  arches  are 
in  (if  a  steel  frame  building),  the  rough  plumbing, 
consisting  of  the  drainage  system  in  the  basement, 
all  the  stacks  of  soil,  waste  and  vent  pipes,  all  sup- 
ply pipes,  and  the  lead  roughing  for  toilet  and  bath 
rooms  shall  be  in  place  and  tested.  The  fixtures 
in  the  various  toilet  and  bath  rooms  shall  all  be 
set  in  place  and  connected  ready  for  use  within  six 
days  after  the  respective  rooms  are  ready  for  the 
plumbing  fixtures  to  be  set." 

"If  at  any  time  the  contractor  gets  behind 
with  his  work  and  fails  or  refuses  to  put  on  a  suffi- 
cient force  of  men  to  catch  up  with  the  other  con- 
tractors, or  if  at  any  time  he  shall  neglect  or  re- 
fuse to  proceed  with  his  work  for  two  consecutive 
days,  the  owner,  after  two  days'  notice,  may  con- 
sider the  work  abandoned  and  purchase  all  neces- 
sary material  and  employ  all  necessary  labor  to 
complete  the  work  according  to  the  terms  of  the 
contract.  If  after  completing  all  work  there  be  a 
balance  in  favor  of  the  contractor,  the  same  shall 
be  paid  to  him;  whereas  if  there  be  a  deficit,  the 
contractor  shall  refund  the  amount." 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

Usually,  with  such  a  clause  in  the  specifica- 
tions, the  two  days'  notice  is  sufficient  to  induce  a 
contractor  to  proceed  with  his  work. 

It  is  well  to  specify  explicitly  where  the  work 
of  installation  will  begin.  For  instance,  a  very 
good  practice  that  applies  equally  to  all  types  of 
building  is  to  have  the  house  sewer,  including  the 
main  drain  trap  and  fresh-air  inlet,  also  the  water 
service,  installed  under  a  separate  contract  before 
the  work  is  commenced  on  the  superstructure  of 
the  building.  By  this  arrangement  all  the  trench- 
ing can  be  done  at  one  time,  both  for  the  founda- 
tion walls  and  the  service  and  drainage  pipes,  thus 
avoiding  the  inconvenience  of  having  the  street 
opened  while  the  superstructure  is  being  erected. 
Furthermore,  the  sewer  provides  means  for  drain- 
ing the  cellar,  and  the  service  pipe  furnishes  water 
for  building  purposes.  When  this  practice  is  fol- 
lowed there  is  no  work  to  be  done  in  the  street  and 
no  permits  to  secure  and  pay  for,  so  that  the  speci- 
fications relating  to  permits  may  be  omitted  and  a 
paragraph  something  like  the  following  inserted: 

'  'The  house  sewer,  fresh-air  inlet  and  service 
pipes  are  already  installed  to  the  inside  of  the 
foundation  wall.  Beginning  at  that  point  the  con- 
tractor shall  furnish  all  materials  and  labor  to  com- 
plete the  plumbing  work  according  to  the  plans  and 
specifications." 

Changes  from  Plans. — The  aim  of  some  con- 
tractors, once  they  start  work  on  a  contract,  is  to 
have  some  change  made  from  the  plan  as  originally 
drawn,  so  the  contract  cannot  be  lived  up  to,  and 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

the  work  then  becomes  a  sort  of  day  affair  for 
which  they  can  charge  whatever  they  please.  To 
guard  against  such  individuals,  as  well  as  to  be  pre- 
pared for  any  emergency,  it  is  well  to  insert  a 
clause  in  the  specifications  stating  just  what  effect 
a  change  from  the  original  plans  will  have  on  both 
parties  to  the  contract,  and  reciting  what  forms  will 
be  observed  in  case  it  is  found  necessary  to  deviate 
from  the  work  as  originally  planned.  It  is  well  to 
always  require  that  the  contractor  shall  have  a 
written  order  authorizing  him  to  do  extra  work, 
without  which  any  claims  for  extras  will  be  ignored 
and  payment  for  such  claims  refused,  and  the 
means  for  determining  the  cost  of  extra  work  should 
be  specified  in  case  of  a  disagreement  between  the 
contractor  and  owner  or  architect  should  arise.  A 
good  provision  is  to  specify  that  in  case  of  a  disa- 
greement between  the  contractor  and  owner,  or 
contractor  and  architect,  as  the  case  might  be,  a 
third  person  who  should  also  be  named  shall  decide; 
or  else,  that  the  cost  shall  be  determined  by  arbi- 
tration, if  an  arbitration  clause  has  been  incorpo- 
rated in  the  specifications. 

Verbal  Instructions  About  Plans  and  Specifi- 
cations.— Whenever,  in  the  course  of  estimating,  it 
becomes  necessary  for  a  contractor  to  resort  to  the 
architect  to  explain  or  make  clear  some  provision 
in  the  drawings  or  specifications,  such  correction 
should  be  made  immediately  upon  giving  the  ex- 
planation so  the  contractor  will  be  justified  in  de- 
pending on  the  verbal  instructions  the  architect 
gives  him.  For  instance,  the  labor  of  excavating 

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for  the  plumbing  pipes  is  sometimes  specified  in  the 
general  specifications  as  part  of  the  mason's  work, 
and  in  the  plumbing  specifications  as  part  of  the 
plumber's  work.  Likewise,  the  cutting  and  patch- 
ing throughout  the  building  is  sometimes  included 
in  both  the  carpenter's  and  the  plumber's  specifica- 
tions. 

If,  in  such  a  case,  the  plumbing  contractor  asks 
for  information  as  to  who  shall  do  the  digging,  cut- 
ting and  repairing,  and  is  told  that  such  work  will 
be  done  by  the  mason  and  carpenter  contractors  re- 
spectively, but  no  change  is  made  in  the  plumbing 
specifications  by  crossing  out  the  section  making  it 
the  plumber's  duty  to  do  such  work,  the  plumbing 
contractor,  to  protect  his  own  interests,  must  esti- 
mate on  doing  the  work,  as  he  can  be  held  to  per- 
form it  in  case  he  signs  a  contract  to  furnish  all 
materials  and  perform  all  labor  according  to  the 
plans  and  specifications.  The  only  course  for  the 
architect  to  pursue  in  such  a  case  is  to  decide  im- 
mediately the  matter  is  called  to  his  attention,  and 
cross  the  provision  or  requirement  out  of  one  speci- 
fication, leaving  it  in  the  specification  where  it 
rightly  belongs. 

Prices  for  Extra  Work. — Much  trouble  and 
many  after-disputes  can  be  avoided  in  large  opera- 
tions by  requiring  in  the  bid  a  table  of  prices,  which 
can  be  agreed  upon  beforehand,  to  be  paid  for  ex- 
tra work,  or  to  be  deducted  for  work  or  fixtures 
which  are  omitted.  In  making  up  the  schedule  of 
prices,  the  plumber  can  charge  his  regular  rate  of 
wages  for  his  workmen  when  sent  out  on  jobbing 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

work,  and  can  deduct  the  time  that  would  be  re- 
quired to  do  certain  work  at  the  regular  rate  of 
wages  price.  The  object  is  not  to  deprive  the  con- 
tractor of  his  just  profits,  but  to  furnish  a  basis  for 
the  ordering  of  extra  work,  for  it  is  extra  work  in- 
stead of  omissions  which  is  more  often  ordered. 
The  cost  of  fixtures  can  likewise  be  listed  with  a 
fair  and  reasonable  margin  of  profit. 

Arbitration.— A  clause  is  sometimes  incorpo- 
rated in  the  specification  stipulating  that  in  case  of 
disagreement  between  the  parties  to  the  contract 
that  the  matter  shall  be  decided  by  arbitration.  In 
such  jcases  it  is  generally  provided  that  three  arbi- 
trators shall  decide  the  points  in  dispute;  that  each 
party  to  the  contract  shall  select  one  arbitrator  and 
the  two  arbitrators  so  selected  shall  choose  the 
third,  and  the  decision  of  the  three  so  chosen  shall 
be  final.  If  plumbing  plans  and  specifications  were 
always  rightly  prepared  there  would  be  no  oppor- 
tunity for  disagreements  to  arise,  but,  as  in  the  ab- 
sence of  proper  drawings  and  description,  many 
designers  resort  to  catch  clauses  or  salvation  clauses 
to  protect  themselves  from  their  own  ignorance  or 
stupidity,  an  arbitration  clause  will  be  found  a  pro- 
tection to  the  contractor,  as  the  arbitrators  decid- 
ing the  case  will  exercise  sound  business  judgment, 
unfettered  by  the  rules  of  legal  procedure  which 
hedge  around  a  case  in  court,  and  their  decision 
can  be  depended  on  to  be  a  just  one.  It  might  be 
well  to  add  that,  in  the  case  of  trial  by  arbitration, 
the  finding  of  the  arbitrators  will  be  held  final  in 
court,  so  practically  there  is  no  appeal  from  their 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

judgment.  A  further  advantage  of  arbitration  is 
the  fact  that  the  case  can  be  settled  without  loss  of 
time,  as  would  be  the  case  in  court. 

Salvation  Glauses.— When  a  clause  to  the  ef- 
fect that  "The  work  shall  be  under  the  general 
supervision  of  the  architect,  whose  decision  as  to 
the  true  intent  and  meaning  of  the  drawings  and 
specifications  will  be  final  and  conclusive, "  or  any 
other  salvation  clause  of  like  purport,  appears  in  a 
specification,  it  is  a  written  confession  that  the  per- 
son who  prepared  the  plans  and  specifications  in 
question  did  not  understand  his  business,  knew  his 
limitations,  and  is  trying  to  protect  his  ignorance 
by  hedging  himself  around  with  a  number  of  clauses 
which,  in  matters  of  dispute,  vest  him  with  un- 
limited arbitrary  authority  to  decide  the  case  in  his 
own  favor,  regardless  of  the  merits  or  justice  of  the 
case.  If  plans  are  properly  prepared  and  specifica- 
tions capably  written  there  will  be  no  question  as 
to  their  true  intent  and  meaning;  if  they  are  not 
clear  and  explicit,  it  is  the  construction  put  upon 
them  by  the  reader,  not  the  writer,  which  should 
be  final  and  conclusive.  The  designer  in  preparing 
his  drawings  and  specifications  knows,  or  ought  to 
know,  what  he  wants  to  show  and  describe.  Hav- 
ing this  knowledge  and  ample  time  at  his  disposal, 
he  is  supposed  to  have  made  a  record  of  his  desires. 
If  through  ignorance  or  lack  of  ability  he  fails  in 
his  effort,  he  alone  is  the  one  who  should  stand  re- 
sponsible for  the  failure.  Such  designers,  however, 
usually  try  to  shift  the  responsibility  to  the  con- 
tractor by  reserving  to  themselves  unlimited  arbi- 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

trary  power,  concealed  in  innocent-looking  salva- 
tion clauses  similar  to  the  one  quoted.  When  an 
estimator  is  given  a  set  of  drawings  and  a  specifi- 
cation on  which  to  base  his  estimate  for  work,  he 
is  justified  in  believing  that  the  architect  or  engi- 
neer has  expressed  himself  fully  and  clearly  in  his 
work.  He  cannot  read  the  designer's  mind  to  learn 
what  was  intended,  but  must  base  his  estimate  upon 
his  interpretation  of  the  drawings  and  specifica- 
tions furnished  him.  If  the  designer  had  one  thing 
in  mind,  but  unable  to  express  it,  has  conveyed  an 
entirely  different  impression,  or  has  left  much  un- 
said and  undrawn  which  he  had  planned  in  his 
mind  to  show  and  state,  the  contractor  should  not 
be  called  upon  to  include  such  work  and  material  in 
the  contract  as  fully  as  though  shown  by  the  plans 
and  described  in  the  specifications,  but  this  he  can 
be  made  to  do  under  the  salvation  clauses -of  igno- 
rant or  dishonest  architects  or  engineers. 

Guaranteeing  Work  and  Materials.— A  section 
requiring  that  the  contractor  guarantees  his  work 
against  defects  in  workmanship  and  materials  for 
a  period  of  two  years  from  the  date  of  completion 
is  sometimes  incorporated  in  a  specification.  Such 
a  condition,  however,  is  better  left  out.  With  the 
exception  of  a  very  few  grades  of  fixtures  no  ma- 
terials entering  into  the  makeup  of  a  plumbing  in- 
stallation are  guaranteed.  Care  is  exercised  to 
send  out  only  goods  which  are  sound,  flawless  and 
in  good  merchantable  condition,  but  if  after  the 
lapse  of  several  months,  or  weeks,  for  that  matter, 
the  goods  fail  for  any  reason,  it  is  at  the  owner's 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

expense.  As  the  materials  which  the  architect 
specifies  are  not  guaranteed,  the  insertion  of  a 
clause  in  a  specification  requiring  the  plumber  to 
guarantee  other  people's  wares  imposes  upon  him 
the  duty  of  an  insurer  of  goods,  and  if  the  con- 
tractor be  a  responsible  one  he  will  allow  in  his  esti- 
mate a  sufficient  amount  to  cover  any  possible  dam- 
age, however  remote,  which  might  occur  during  the 
two  years  he  is  responsible  for  the  plumbing.  Ir- 
responsible contractors  might  ignore  the  clause, 
having  no  intention  of  living  up  to  it,  but  in  that 
case  the  responsible  contractor  is  put  at  a  disad- 
vantage and  might  lose  the  work  to  an  indifferent 
and  irresponsible  one  on  account  of  the  guarantee. 
At  its  best  such  a  clause  is  an  additional  expense  to 
the  owner.  With  the  merchantable  goods  now  on 
the  market  the  repairs  due  to  defective  materials  in 
the  two  years  succeeding  completion  of  a  contract 
will  be  so  slight  that  they  will  cost  the  owner  much 
less  than  a  responsible  contractor  will  exact  for 
guaranteeing  the  work  for  that  length  of  time.  He 
has  to  figure  on  possibilities  to  protect  himself, 
while  the  owner  would  have  to  pay  only  for  actual 
repairs. 

Payments.— It  is  well  to  state  in  the  specifica- 
tions the  plan  of  payment.  Where  the  terms  of 
payment  are  not  stated,  many  contractors  are 
frightened  off  from  big  work  by  the  fear  that  a 
large  amount  of  their  working-capital  will  be  in- 
definitely tied  up  in  the  building.  The  terms  of 
payment  are  of  as  much  importance  to  a  careful 
contractor  as  is  the  ownership  of  the  buildings,  or 

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who  is  to  superintend  the  installation;  and  he  is  en- 
titled  to  know  this  important  fact  before  submit- 
ting his  bid.  Another  important  consideration  to 
bear  in  mind  is  the  fact  that  when  everything  ap- 
pertaining to  the  contract  is  stated  in  the  specifica- 
tions, a  simple  line  accepting  the  offer  of  the  con- 
tractor "to  furnish  all  labor  and  material  according 
to  the  plans  and  specifications,"  for  a  certain 
amount,  closes  the  contract  without  further  for- 
mality. It  does  also  when  the  terms  of  payment 
are  not  stated  in  the  specifications,  but  in  such  case 
the  contractor  is  not  entitled  to  payment  until  the 
work  is  entirely  completed  and  accepted.  Of  course, 
that  right  of  the  owner  to  have  the  work  completed 
before  payment  can  be  waived,  and  usually  is 
waived,  but  the  uncertainty  as  to  terms  often  de- 
ters a  responsible  concern  from  estimating  on 
work. 

On  small  installations,  payments  are  usually 
made  in  three  different  stages  of  the  work.  The 
first  payment  is  usually  made  when  the  roughing- 
in  is  completed,  and  the  amount  is  based  on  the  net 
cost  of  the  work  to  the  plumber,  less  a  certain  per- 
centage, usually  10  per  cent,  held  back  until  the 
final  payment,  as  a  protection  to  the  owner  in  case 
the  contractor  refuses  or  is  unable  to  proceed  with 
his  contract.  The  second  payment  is  usually  made 
when  all  fixtures  and  finishing  materials  are  deliv- 
ered on  the  premises,  and  the  final  payment  when 
the  work  is  satisfactorily  completed  and  accepted. 

In  large  installations  the  work  is  usually  paid 
for  monthly,  on  certificates  from  the  architect,  who 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

deducts  10  per  cent,  from  each  monthly  payment, 
which  is  reserved  for  the  final  payment. 

Temporary  Closet  Accommodations. — Some 
toilet  facilities  are  necessary  for  the  workmen  while 
engaged  in  erecting  the  building,  and  temporary 
closet  accommodations  are  always  provided  for  in 
the  specifications  for  large  installations,  unless  the 
temporary  accommodations  have  been  provided  for 
before  the  plumbing  contract  is  let.  Ordinarily  one 
water  closet  or  its  equivalent  in  a  range  closet  will 
be  sufficient  for  each  fifteen  men  engaged  on  the 
building.  The  location  arid  manner  of  connecting 
the  temporary  closets  to  the  drainage  system  are 
so  much  a  matter  peculiar  to  each  installation  that 
no  further  information  regarding  them  can  be 
given. 

Reading  Elements  Into  Specifications.— Archi- 
tects often  unreasonably  assume  that  because  they 
have  specified  certain  work  to  be  installed,  without 
stating  in  detail  how  the  work  is  to  be  done,  but 
have  inserted  a  salvation  clause  to  the  effect  that 
'  'all  work  must  be  done  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
architect,"  materials  not  shown  on  the  plans  or 
called  for  in  the  specifications,  either  specifically, 
or  by  implication  as  obviously  necessary  to  the  com- 
pletion of  the  work,  must  be  provided  to  fulfil  the 
contract.  Such  a  position  is  unwarranted  and  un- 
reasonable. Under  the  salvation  clause  mentioned, 
any  work  actually  specified  can  be  made  to  conform 
to  the  architect's  satisfaction,  provided  the  unusual 
is  not  exacted. 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

For  instance,  if  extra  heavy  soil  pipe  be  speci- 
fied for  the  vertical  stacks  of  soil,  waste  and  vent 
pipes  which  are  shown  run  exposed,  and  nothing  is 
said  as  to  what  make  of  soil  pipe  shall  be  used,  any 
merchantable  grade  of  pipe  will  comply  with  the 
requirements  of  the  specifications.  Of  course,  there 
is  a  vast  difference  in  appearance  between  different 
makes  of  soil  pipe.  The  product  of  some  manufac- 
turers is  straight,  smooth  and  of  the  very  best 
workmanship,  while  that  of  other  manufacturers 
is  rough  and  not  of  such  good  quality. 

It  is  customary  in  writing  plumbing  specifica- 
tions to  state  that  the  pipe  * 'shall  be  sound,  cylin- 
drical and  smooth,  free  from  sand  holes,  cracks 
and  other  defects/'  but  in  the  absence  of  any  such 
clause  the  architect  would  not  be  justified  in  con- 
demning work  and  requiring  the  substitution  of  a 
better  quality  of  pipe  or  the  filing  and  sandpaper- 
ing of  that  already  in,  because  it  is  exposed  and  he 
wants  the  work  to  present  a  smooth,  attractive  ap- 
pearance. If  any  such  unusual  requirement  was 
in  the  architect's  mind,  and  was  to  be  enforced,  it 
should  have  been  stated  in  the  specifications,  and 
if  it  was  not,  any  good  quality  of  pipe  would  com- 
ply with  the  wording  of  the  specifications.  Fur- 
ther, no  salvation  clause  can  read  materials  into  a 
specification  that  are  not  specifically  or  by  implica- 
tion called  for.  To  illustrate:  in  the  foregoing  ex- 
ample of  soil,  waste  and  vent  stacks,  if  thimbles 
are  not  shown  on  the  drawing  nor  called  for  in  the 
specifications  where  the  pipes  pass  through  walls 
and  partitions,  nor  escutcheons  required  at  floors, 
ceilings  and  walls,  such  materials  would  not  be  re- 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

quired  according  to  the  correct  interpretation  of 
the  plans  and  specifications,  and  to  insist  on  them 
being  installed  as  part  of  .a  contract,  on  the  ground 
that  the  work  must  be  done  to  the  satisfaction  of 
the  architect,  is  reading  an  element  into  the  plans 
and  specifications  which  does  not  really  exist;  and 
is  an  injustice  to  the  contractor  as  well  as  dishonest 
in  the  architect  or  engineer.  The  rule  is  that  any 
work  called  for  or  materials  specified  must  con- 
form to  the  standard  for  such  work.  Interpreting 
a  salvation  clause  strictly  as  it  should  be  interpret- 
ed gives  that  much  and  no  more  authority  to  the 
architect.  Insisting  that  the  work  specified  con- 
form to  his  satisfaction  does  not  give  the  architect 
power  to  insist  on  work  not  specified,  and  require 
that  it  be  up  to  the  standard  of  the  work  actually 
specified. 

Honesty  and  fair  dealing  must  obtain  between 
architect  and  contractor,  if  both  are  to  be  satisfied 
and  successful  in  their  respective  callings.  If  the 
plumbing  contractor  is  constantly  trying  to  miscon- 
strue provisions  in  the  specifications  into  some  ad- 
vantage to  himself,  it  will  not  be  long  before  his 
name  will  be  dropped  from  the  roll  of  eligibles  in  the 
various  architects'  offices.  The  architect,  on  the 
other  hand,  if  he  exact  more  than  his  plans  and 
specifications  call  for,  on  the  ground  that  he  will 
withhold  payment  until  his  unreasonable  demands 
are  complied  with,  will  soon  find  that  contractors 
have  learned  his  work  is  not  worth  having  and 
will  refuse  to  estimate  on  his  contract. 

When  such  a  state  of  affairs  comes  about  the 
architect  will  find  himself  in  the  position  of  a 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

couple  of  big  institutions  in  the  country  where,  for 
fear  they  will  secure  the  work,  all  contractors 
double  the  cost  of  the  estimate  and  add  from  50  to 
100  per  cent,  for  profit.  It  is  needless  to  say  that 
the  institutions  spoken  of  pay  for  their  plumbing 
work  more  than  double  what  a  like  amount  and 
quality  would  cost  fair-dealing  individuals. 

Specifying  Weights  of  Pipes.— There  are  no 
standard  weights  for  pipes  established  by  law  for 
the  grades  known  as  strong,  extra  strong,  heavy, 
extra  heavy  and  standard,  and  while  the  weights 
corresponding  to  the  grades  are  generally  estab- 
lished by  agreement  among  manufacturers,  there 
is  nothing  to  prevent  manufacturers  outside  of  the 
association,  or  even  those  within,  manufacturing  a 
lighter  grade  of  pipe  and  designating  it  by  the 
usual  trade  name;  consequently,  when  specifying 
lead,  iron,  brass  or  other  kind  of  pipe,  it  is  well  to 
not  only  specify  it  by  the  trade  name  for  that 
weight,  but  to  append  a  table  of  weights  to  which 
the  pipe  must  conform. 

Weights  and  Quality  of  Brass  Goods.— There 
is  no  uniformity  in  the  manufacture  of  brass  goods 
used  in  plumbing,  and  no  official  or  government 
standards  to  which  they  must  conform,  so  in  order 
to  insure  a  proper  grade  of  brass  work  being  sup- 
plied, not  only  the  weights,  but  likewise  the  qual- 
ity of  brass,  should  be  specified. 

Testing  the  Drainage  Pipes. — In  the  absence 
of  a  plumbing  law  requiring  that  the  drainage  sys- 
tem be  tested  before  being  passed  by  the  inspector, 
it  is  not  necessary  for  the  contractor  to  test  the 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

work  unless  expressly  called  for  in  the  specifica- 
tions. For  this  reason  a  clause  should  be  insert- 
ed in  every  specification  requiring  the  contractor 
to  test  the  entire  drainage  system  in  the  presence 
of  the  architect  or  his  representative,  and  specify- 
ing how  many  tests  shall  be  applied  and  how  they 
shall  be  made. 

Connections  to  Drains. — In  the  absence  of 
drawings  showing  the  kind  of  fittings  to  be  used, 
in  cities  where  there  are  no  plumbing  codes,  almost 
any  branch  from  saddle  hubs  to  T  fittings  may  be 
used,  unless  Y  branches  are  called  for  in  the  speci- 
fications. For  this  reason  it  is  well  to  specify  just 
what  kind  of  fittings  will,  and  what  will  not,  be 
allowed  in  the  work,  and  likewise  state,  if  not  al- 
ready shown,  the  distance  from  doors,  windows  and 
other  openings  that  vent  pipes  must  end. 


122 


p 

A 

R 

T 

I 

I 

I 

PLANNING   PLUMBING  WORK 


CHAPTER   IX 

REQUIREMENTS   FOR   VARIOUS   TYPES 
OF    BUILDINGS 

in 

GENERAL  REQUIREMENTS 

VEN  though  a  designer  knows  what 
symbols  to  use,  how  to  indicate  plumb- 
ing work  on  plans,  how  to  lay  out  the 
work,  write  the  specifications  and  su- 
perintend the  installation,  he  will  some- 
times be  at  a  loss  to  know  just  what  kinds  and 
number  of  plumbing  fixtures  will  be  required  in 
buildings  of  different  classes.  Very  few  architects 
are  called  upon  during  their  business  careers  to 
build  a  prison,  library,  church,  hotel,  public  com- 
fort station,  hospital,  sanitarium,  school,  court 
house,  Y.  M.  C.  A.  building,  theater,  or  like  struc- 
tures; yet,  if  commissioned  to  do  so,  must  be  able 
to  rise  to  the  occasion.  Numerous  works  can  be 
had  teaching  them  the  principles  of  design,  and  ar- 
chitectural papers  are  full  of  good  examples  of  the 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

different  classes  of  buildings;  but  nowhere  can 
there  be  found  an  authoritative  work  analyzing  the 
requirements  and  pointing  out  just  what  is  desira- 
ble in  the  way  of  plumbing  in  buildings  designed 
for  different  purposes.  In  this  section,  therefore, 
an  effort  is  made  to  supply  this  much-needed  infor- 
mation. Examples  of  the  various  classes  of  build- 
ings are  shown,  but  no  effort  is  made  to  indicate 
the  layout  of  the  plumbing  systems.  Instead,  only 
the  architectural  requirements  in  the  way  of  plumb- 
ing appliances  are  considered,  and  any  plumbing 
plans  or  details  incorporated  are  more  in  the  nature 
of  incidental  matter  thrown  in  for  whatever  value 
they  may  possess. 

It  is  assumed  that  if  the  designer  knows  just 
what  plumbing  fixtures  and  appliances  are  required 
in  a  certain  type  of  building  he  either  knows,  or 
can  learn  from  the  preceding  chapters  of  this  work, 
how  to  indicate  them  on  the  plans. 

Wherever  people  live  or  congregate  for  a  period 
of  time,  toilet  accommodations  must  be  provided 
for  their  comfort.  For  instance,  temporary  grand 
stands  for  viewing  parades,  likewise  ball  grounds 
and  stadia  for  the  holding  of  field  games,  must  all 
have  plumbing  fixtures  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  patrons  of  the  games  or  sport,  even  though 
they  are  assembled  there  only  for  a  short  time; 
while  buildings  where  people  reside  must  likewise 
be  well  supplied  with  sanitary  conveniences;  and 
each  class  of  structure  will  possess  conditions  pe- 
culiar to  itself  and  present  problems  which  differ 
more  or  less  from  the  others. 

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Plumbing    Plans^   and    Specifications 

The  first  consideration  when  designing  the 
plumbing  for  any  class  of  structure  is  to  find  the 
source  of  water,  and  learn  where  and  how  the  sew- 
age will  be  disposed. 

If  no  system  of  sewage  is  available,  the  method 
of  treating  and  the  place  of  final  disposal  of  the 
sewage  must  be  worked  out  before  the  plumbing 
work  within  the  building  can  be  intelligently  de- 
signed. If,  on  the  other  hand,  a  system  of  sewers 
is  available,  the  depth  of  the  main  sewer  in  the 
street  must  be  ascertained  to  see  if  there  is  suffi- 
cient fall  for  a  gravity  discharge  or  whether  sub- 
sewer  ejectors  will  be  required  for  the  basement 
and  sub-basement  floors  of  the  building. 

No  less  important  is  the  source,  quality  and 
pressure  of  the  water  supply.  If  a  pure  filtered 
water  can  be  had  from  street  mains,  under  suffi- 
cient pressure  to  supply  all  fixtures  in  the  building, 
the  problem  simmers  down  to  proportioning  the 
sizes  of  supply  pipes,  securing  an  adequate  main 
from  the  street  and  laying  out  a  suitable  and  eco- 
nomical system  of  pipes.  Should  the  water  be  hard, 
however,  the  question  of  softening  must  be  consid- 
ered, if  hard  water  is  undesirable.  If,  again,  the 
water  is  from  a  surface  source,  and  unfiltered, 
whether  delivered  through  city  mains  or  impound- 
ed for  the  particular  building,  filtration  should  un- 
questionably be  resorted  to,  and  the  question  of 
what  method  to  employ  would  naturally  follow. 
For  country  institutions  the  securing  of  a  water 
supply  is  sometimes  a  difficult  problem,  and  the 
method  of  elevating  and  storing  the  water  must 
likewise  be  carefully  considered.  When  the  out- 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

side  problems  of  sewer  and  water  supply  are  fully 
worked  out,  and  planned  up  to  the  foundation  walls 
of  the  building,  the  real  work  of  planning  the 
plumbing  work  within  commences,  and  the  differ- 
ent problems  will  be  considered  under  the  classes 
of  buildings  to  which  they  belong. 


126 


CHAPTER  X 


PLANNING   THE   PLUMBING 
FOR   RESIDENCES 


F  ALL  classes  of  buildings  the  home  is 
the  most  important.  Here  the  family 
spends  most  of  its  time,  and  no  detail 
which  will  conduce  to  its  convenience 
or  comfort  should  be  omitted.  Of  all 
details  which  enter  into  the  building  of  a  home, 
nothing  adds  so  much  to  the  comfort  and  welfare 
of  the  inmates  as  plenty  of  water.  This  necessity 
for  plenty  of  running  water  in  residences  is  reflect- 
ed by  the  tendency  of  the  times  toward  a  bath  room 
in  connection  with  each  sleeping-room  or  in  connec- 
tion with  each  suite  of  rooms.  Where  lack  of  space 
or  other  considerations  prevent  the  installment  of 
a  bath  room  in  connection  with  each  bedroom,  one 
bath  room  is  made  to  serve  two  or  more  rooms,  and 
in  the  more  moderate-priced  houses  one  bath  room 
is  made  to  serve  for  the  whole  family. 

Where  bath  rooms  are  not  provided  in  connec- 
tion with  sleeping-rooms,  provision  is  made,  where 
cost  permits,  for  running  water  in  every  bedroom. 
With  a  lavatory  in  each  sleeping-room  or  in  a  dress- 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

ing-room  adjoining  the  sleeping-room,  one  bath 
room  can  be  made  to  serve  very  nicely  for  the 
whole  family,  provided  there  are  toilet  accommo- 
dations in  the  servants'  quarters.  When  consider- 
ing the  cost  of  installing  stationary  lavatories  in 
the  various  sleeping-rooms,  it  should  be  borne  in 
mind  that,  if  stationary  lavatories  are  not  provid- 
ed, portable  basins,  pitchers  and  wash  stands  will 
be  required  in  the  furnishing  of  the  bedrooms;  and, 
unless  the  runs  of  pipe  are  particularly  long  and 
difficult,  stationary  lavatories  will  generally  be 
found  the  cheaper  of  the  two  methods. 

Where  only  one  bath  room  is  provided  for  a 
family,  a  good  plan  is  to  locate  the  water  closet  in 
a  small  compartment  adjoining  the  bath  room  and 
accessible  from  either  the  bath  room  or  the  hall. 
By  this  arrangement  the  closet  will  be  accessible 
while  the  bath  room  is  in  use,  and,  conversely,  the 
bath  room  will  be  accessible  when  the  closet  com- 
partment is  occupied. 

This  requirement  of  separate  bath-room  and 
water-closet  compartments  is  not  necessary  where 
there  are  two  or  more  family  water  closets  in  the 
building,  and,  on  account  of  space,  it  cannot  al- 
ways be  had  in  buildings  where  there  is  only  one 
bath  room.  The  layout  is  worth  bearing  in  mind, 
however,  for  use  in  places  where  it  can  be  applied. 

Bath- Room  Fixtures. — The  question  of  what 
fixtures  to  put  in  a  bath  room  is  one  which  gener- 
ally can  be  answered  only  by  the  owner  of  the 
building,  and  no  doubt  will  be  settled  by  his  wife. 
Women,  as  a  rule,  take  a  particular  pride  in  this 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

part  of  the  home,  and  have  their  own  opinions  of 
what  it  should  contain.  Of  course,  there  will  be 
the  three  usual  fixtures — closet,  lavatory  and  bath 
tub.  If  there  is  a  shower,  also,  it  is  a  concession 
to  the  male  part  of  the  family,  for  comparatively 
few  women  like  a  shower  bath.  If  a  shower  is  to 
be  part  of  the  equipment,  the  designer  has  choice 
of  a  variety  of  designs,  from  the  simple  shower 
above  the  bath  tub  to  a  complete  needle  shower  and 
spray  bath  set  over  a  receptor.  It  may  be  possible 
that  the  owner  wishes  hydroelectric  baths  or  light 
baths  in  addition  to  the  usual  outfit,  in  which  case 
provision  must  be  made  for  the  apparatus. 

Bidets  or  bidet  attachments  to  water  closets 
may  be  part  of  the  equipment  desired  by  some  own- 
ers, while  foot  baths  or  sitz  baths  might  be  desired 
by  others.  It  is  well  when  taking  up  the  matter  of 
fixtures  with  the  owner  to  call  attention  to  the  vari- 
ous kinds  of  fixtures  and  explain  their  various  uses. 
Oftentimes  fixtures  are  omitted  for  the  only  reason 
that  the  owner  is  not  aware  that  such  appliances 
are  made,  or,  if  he  knows,  is  not  familiar  with  their 
uses. 

Urinals  are  seldom  used  in  private  houses  nor 
is  there  a  demand  for  them.  Ordinarily  a  water 
closet  will  serve  the  purpose  far  better  and  with 
much  less  offense.  When  installed,  urinals  are  gen- 
erally placed  in  a  compartment  adjoining  a  billiard 
room  or  some  other  part  of  the  house  where  men 
congregate. 

No  less  important  than  the  kind  and  number 
of  bath  room  fixtures,  is  the  size  and  quality.  If 
comfort  is  to  be  had  while  taking  a  bath,  the  archi- 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

tect  must  see  that  the  fixture  is  large  enough  so 
the  bather  will  not  have  to  fold  up  in  order  to  get 
inside;  and  that  along  with  its  other  dimensions, 
it  is  deep  enough,  up  to  the  overflow,  so  that  the 
user  will  be  at  least  partly  submerged.  Bathtubs 
range  in  size  from  4J  feet  to  6  feet,  and  it  is  safe 
to  say  that  nothing  less  than  a  5J-f  oot  tub  should 
be  installed  in  a  private  house.  The  bath  room 
likewise  should  be  large  and  roomy.  There  is  no 
comfort  in  using  a  fixture  in  a  narrow,  cramped 
room,  where  the  bather  cannot  move  his  arms  with- 
out fear  of  bumping  elbows  or  knocking  something 
onto  the  floor.  A  bath  room  with  a  floor  space  of 
from  50  to  60  square  feet  is  a  fair  size  for  an  ordi- 
nary building,  while  for  more  pretentious  houses 
they  may  run  as  high  as  100  square  feet  or  more. 

Slop  Sinks. — In  the  ordinary  small  dwelling- 
house  there  is  no  crying  need  for  slop  sinks,  but  in 
great  rambling  country  homes  or  large  city  resi- 
dences slop  sinks  scattered  throughout  the  building 
on  the  various  floors  will  save  their  cost  in  wear  and 
tear  on  other  fixtures  which  otherwise  would  be- 
come damaged  by  pails  and  other  vessels  used  for 
drawing  water  and  emptying  slops.  Besides,  if  slop 
sinks  are  not  convenient  on  the  several  floors  ser- 
vants are  liable  to  use  lavatories,  bath  tubs  or  like 
fixtures  in  their  stead,  a  practice  which  would  be 
anything  but  commendable.  When  slop  sinks  are 
installed  they  may  be  located  in  closets  or  small 
rooms  which  serve  the  purpose  of  containing  the 
pails,  brooms,  mops  and  other  articles  required  by 
the  servants  in  cleaning  the  rooms. 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

Nursery. — For  the  large  house  which  contains 
a  nursery  it  is  well  to  bear  in  mind  that  there  are 
children's  fixtures  which  may  be  fitted  up  in  a 
child's  bath  room  located  conveniently  near.  The 
child's  closet  is  only  12  inches  in  height,  and  made 
in  proportion,  while  the  child's  bath  tub  is  set  on  a 
pedestal  intended  to  raise  the  fixture  a  convenient 
height,  30  to  33  inches,  for  the  nurses  to  bathe  the 
children  without  discomfort.  So  far  no  lavatory 
has  been  designed  for  children,  but  they  can  be 
made  on  demand  and  are  only  awaiting  the  order. 
No  doubt  low-down  fixtures  designed  in  proportion 
to  their  height  would  find  a  ready  field  not  only  in 
nurseries  but  in  foundling  asylums,  schools  and 
other  places  where  a  large  number  of  small  chil- 
dren are  housed. 

Kitchen  Fixtures.— A  kitchen  sink  with  a  suit- 
able drain  board  is  the  only  real  kitchen  fixture  if 
the  hot  water  tank  is  omitted.  Of  course,  in  some 
kitchens  the  laundry  tubs  are  likewise  located 
there,  but  laundry  tubs  belong  properly  to  a  sepa- 
rate compartment — the  laundry.  If  an  ice  box  is 
to  be  located  in  the  kitchen  or  pantry,  provision 
should  be  made  for  carrying  off  the  drip;  but  out- 
side of  such  fixtures  no  other  provision  need  be 
made  in  the  kitchen  of  a  residence. 

Pantry  Sinks. — If  the  house  has  a  pantry,  a 
pantry  sink  will  be  found  desirable.  This  may  be 
of  any  material,  but  porcelain  or  copper  is  pre- 
ferred, with  high  goose-neck  pantry  cocks.  Usually 
the  cold-water  pantry  cocks  have  hose  ends  for  at- 
taching so-called  "filters."  The  little  reversible 

131 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

strainers  attached  to  them,  however,  fall  far  short 
of  being  filters.  Indeed,  they  are  more  in  the  na- 
ture of  incubators  where  innumerable  colonies  of 
bacteria  are  cultivated,  and  the  water  is  better 
drawn  direct  from  the  cock  without  passing  through 
the  strainer. 

Laundry  Fixtures.— In  the  moderate-priced 
homes,  the  laundry  trays  are  located  either  in  the 
kitchen  or  in  the  basement,  and  much  may  be  said 
in  favor  of  each  location.  If  the  laundry  is  located 
in  the  cellar  it  necessitates  an  extra  stove  for  boil- 
ing the  clothes  and  imposes  extra  work  on  the  ser- 
vant carrying  the  clothes  down  to  wash  and  up 
again  to  hang  out,  to  say  nothing  of  the  extra  steps 
that  must  be  taken  answering  rings  at  the  door 
bells.  Further,  it  makes  inconvenient  the  servant's 
work,  for  she  cannot  well  do  her  washing  and  at 
the  same  time  tend  to  the  meals  which  are  cooking. 
Oh  the  other  hand,  if  the  laundry  is  located  in  the 
cellar  and  well  partitioned  off,  there  is  less  danger 
of  the  steam  and  odor  permeating  the  living- 
rooms. 

In  the  larger,  more  expensive  homes  a  separate 
laundry,  located  on  the  ground  floor,  adjoining  the 
kitchen,  will  be  found  desirable.  This  will  afford 
light,  air  and  easy  access  to  the  yard  to  hang  out 
clothes,  as  well  as  a  direct  means  of  approach  to 
the  outside  doors,  and  supervision  of  the  kitchen. 
The  completely  equipped  laundry  will  have  three 
laundry  trays,  a  washing-machine,  either  power  or 
hand;  centrifugal  wringer  or  separator  for  remov- 
ing the  free  water  from  clothes;  a  clothes  drier  and 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

a  gas -heated  hand  mangle.  Provision  should  be 
made  in  the  yard  for  drying  clothes  in  the  open  air 
during  favorable  weather,  the  driers  being  reserved 
only  for  stormy  days.  Of  course,  an  iron  stove, 
which  can  be  used  also  for  boiling  clothes,  and  the 
usual  ironing  horses  and  other  portable  pieces  will 
likewise  be  required,  but  the  latter  partake  more 
of  the  nature  of  furnishings  than  fixtures. 

So  far  no  manufacturer  of  plumbing  goods  has 
had  sufficient  enterprise  to  adapt  an  ordinary  porta- 
ble washing  machine,  such  as  are  sold  by  hardware 
stores,  and  are  run  by  water  motor  or  electric  mo- 
tor, to  an  ordinary  laundry  tray.  This  is  a  matter 
which  could  easily  be  done,  and  there  is  a  large 
field  awaiting  such  a  fixture. 

Hot  Water  for  Residences. — In  planning  the 
hot- water  supply  for  residences,  the  possibility  of 
an  adequate  and  economical  supply  without  the 
usual  hot- water  tank  and  range  waterback  should 
not  be  overlooked.  In  residences  where  gas  is  used 
for  cooking  purposes,  hot  water  for  domestic  use 
may  likewise  be  heated  at  small  cost  by  means  of  a 
Ruud  type  of  water  heater.  Very  little  fuel  is  re- 
quired by  the  pilot  light,  which  is  all  the  fuel  used 
when  water  is  not  being  drawn,  while  at  the  same 
time  an  inexhaustible  supply  of  hot  water  is  con- 
stantly at  hand.  In  addition  to  the  Ruud  type  of 
heaters  there  are  apparatus  which  heat  water  in- 
stantaneously with  gas  but  are  available  only  for  a 
few  fixtures.  These  heaters  may  be  had  at  low 
cost,  will  prove  very  satisfactory  in  many  of  the 
cheaper  residences  where  a  permanent  supply  of 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

water  is  out  of  the  question,  and  will  be  found 
equally  serviceable  for  heating  water  at  summer 
homes  and  camps.  When  desirable,  alcohol,  kero- 
sene or  gasoline  may  be  used  as  a  fuel  instead  of 
gas. 

Filter. — Every  residence  supplied  with  water 
from  a  surface  source,  which  is  not  filtered,  should 
be  provided  with  a  germ-proof  filter  of  suitable  size 
to  sterilize  all  water  entering  the  premises.  Filters 
are  not  so  costly  that  they  would  be  dispensed  with 
on  that  account,  and  if  the  owners  of  residences 
had  explained  to  them  the  value  and  protection  to 
health  afforded  by  this  means  it  is  safe  to  say  that 
not  10  per  cent,  of  them  would  be  without  one.  As 
the  filter  is  located  in  the  cellar,  where  it  is  not 
often  seen,  it  is  liable  to  be  overlooked  unless  men- 
tioned by  the  architect. 

Doctors'  and  Dentists'  Homes.  —  A  doctor's 
home  differs  from  an  ordinary  home  only  when  his 
office  is  located  there.  Under  such  conditions  the 
doctor's  office  may  well  be  located  in  one  wing  of 
the  building,  isolated  from  the  home  proper.  Just 
what  will  be  required  by  a  doctor  will  depend  on 
his  practice  and  the  extent  to  which  he  wants  to 
go  in  fitting  up  his  office.  If  surgical  operations 
are  to  be  conducted  a  more  elaborate  equipment 
will  be  necessary  than  for  a  general  practitioner. 
At  all  events,  a  disinfecting -room  containing  a 
shower  bath  should  be  part  of  every  office  suite,  so 
that  the  doctor  can  thoroughly  disinfect  his  clothes 
and  person,  after  being  exposed  to  contagion,  before 
entering  his  home  proper.  If  surgical  cases  are  to 

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Plumbing    P  1  a  n  s^   and    Specifications 

be  operated  upon,  in  addition  to  the  floor  drain  and 
running  water  for  the  operating  table  a  hospital 
slop  sink  and  hospital  lavatory  with  foot  valves 
will  be  found  convenient.  Usually,  however,  the 
physician  has  his  own  opinion  of  what  is  wanted 
and  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  follow  instructions. 
At  all  events,  the  best  plan  would  be  to  consult 
him. 

In  a  dentist's  office  little  is  needed  in  the  way 
of  plumbing  outside  of  a  lavatory  and  water  and 
waste  attachment  to  the  cuspidor  at  the  side  of  the 
operating-table.  If  the  drilling-machine  used  is  to 
be  operated  by  a  water  motor  an  outlet  will  like- 
wise be  required  for  that  purpose. 

Noiseless  Plumbing  in  Residences. — A  very 
disagreeable  feature  of  plumbing  work  in  the  home 
is  the  noise  due  to  the  operation  of  plumbing  fix- 
tures. In  many  residences  the  operation  of  the 
water  closet  in  the  bath  room  can  be  heard  all  over 
the  building.  Such  noise,  however,  is  unnecessary 
and  can  be  avoided  by  intelligent  design  of  the 
system  and  judicious  selection  of  fixtures.  Among 
the  many  closet  combinations  carried  by  the  vari- 
ous manufacturers,  each  manufacturer  has  some 
one  fixture  which  is  less  noisy  than  the  rest,  and 
for  that  reason  is  more  suitable  than  the  other  fix- 
tures for  residence  work.  It  is  well  to  be  acquaint- 
ed with  the  various  closets  of  the  manufacturers 
so  that  when  a  noiseless  one  is  wanted  it  can  be 
specified  by  catalogue  plate  and  number.  But  even 
when  the  closet  is  noiseless  in  operation,  noiseless 
plumbing  is  not  assured  unless  the  supply  and  waste 

135 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

pipes  are  likewise  proportioned  to  their  several 
uses.  If  the  supply  pipes  are  too  small  there  will 
be  a  disagreeable  hissing  sound  when  water  is  being 
drawn,  not  only  at  closet  fixtures  but  at  other 
points  in  the  building.  Further,  if  the  pressure  is 
high  and  properly  designed  faucets  or  suitable  air 
chambers  are  not  provided  there  will  be  a  pound- 
ing noise  when  a  faucet  is  closed,  due  to  water 
hammer.  These  sources  of  trouble  can  be  elimi- 
nated by  using  slow-closing  faucets  and  large-size 
supply  pipes  to  the  various  fixtures. 

The  noise  of  water  from  closet  fixtures  flowing 
through  the  soil  pipe  can  be  decreased  in  volume 
by  using  3-inch  soil  pipes  in  the  partitions,  and  the 
remaining  noise  can  be  almost  entirely  done  away 
with  by  filling  the  space  around  the  pipe  and  be- 
tween the  laths  and  plaster  of  the  partition  with 
some  non- sound -conducting  substance.  Finally, 
the  partitions  around  a  bath  room  should  be  sound 
proofed,  and,  so  far  as  possible,  doors  for  bath 
rooms  should  be  used  through  which  but  little  sound 
will  pass. 

Turkish  Baths  in  the  Home. — In  addition  to 
the  usual  bath  rooms  a  Turkish  bath,  or  sweat 
room,  will  be  found  an  additional  source  of  health 
and  comfort  in  the  home.  The  inducing  of  a  copi- 
ous perspiration  is  the  chief  function  of  a  Turkish 
bath,  all  other  operations  being  secondary  thereto. 
Consequently,  if  a  small  compartment  be  fitted  up 
so  that  it  can  be  heated  to  a  high  temperature,  the 
first  part  of  the  bath,  the  sweating  process,  will  be 
provided  for,  and  the  wash,  shower  and  plunge 

136 


Plumbing    PlanS    and    Specifications 


88 

« 1 

Sfifc 


Fig.  80 
First  Floor  Plan  of  Private  House 

137 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

following  can  be  had  in  the  usual  bath-room  fix- 
tures. 

It  is  not  a  difficult  or  expensive  matter  to  pro- 
vide a  Turkish  bath  in  private  houses,  and,  consid- 
ering their  value,  and  the  fact  that  those  who  can 
afford  it  resort  to  the  public  baths,  it  is  surprising 
that  more  of  the  expensive  houses  are  not  thus 
equipped.  Large  country  homes  in  particular  could 
have  fitted  up,  at  small  expense,  bathing  compart- 
ments which  would  rival  or  exceed  the  private 
baths  of  ancient  Rome. 

EXAMPLES  OF   RESIDENCE 
PLUMBING 

The  first-floor  plan  of  a  residence  is  shown  in 
Fig.  80.  In  this  building  a  separate  laundry  is 
provided  in  the  basement,  so  that  the  sink  is  the 
only  plumbing  fixture  in  the  kitchen.  A  pantry 
sink  is  provided  in  the  butler's  pantry,  adjoining 
the  dining-room,  and  toilet  accommodations,  con- 
sisting of  lavatory  and  water  closet,  are  provided 
for  the  servants  in  a  toilet  compartment  adjoining 
the  kitchen  but  accessible  only  from  the  hall.  A 
window  in  this  compartment  serves  to  ventilate 
the  room  and  insure  a  constant  change  of  air. 

The  second  floor  of  the  same  building  is  shown 
in  Fig.  81.  This  plan  is  interesting  in  that  it  points 
out  very  forcibly  the  extent  to  which  bath  rooms 
are  provided  in  modern  homes.  Of  the  five  sleep- 
ing rooms  on  this  floor  four  of  them  are  direct 
connected  to  bath  rooms,  and  a  bath  room  is  ac- 
cessible to  the  remaining  bedroom  by  traversing  a 

138 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Fig.  81 
Second  Floor  Plan  of  Private  House 

139 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

few  steps  across  the  hall.  As  the  two  bedrooms  to 
the  left  of  this  illustration  are  made  communicating 
it  might  almost  be  said  that  each  bed  room  is  direct 
connected  to  a  bath  room. 

If  so  many  bath  rooms  are  found  desirable  in  a 
building  built  as  compact  as  this  one,  where  a  cen- 
trally located  toilet  room  could  be  reached  from 
any  bedroom  in  a  few  steps,  how  much  more  neces- 
sary are  they  in  large,  rambling  structures,  with 
numerous  wings  and  long  corridors,  that  would 
have  to  be  traversed  by  guests  or  family  to  avail 
themselves  of  its  advantages  if  only  one  bath  room 
were  provided !  There  is  nothing  in  a  home  prob- 
ably that  conduces  so  much  to  the  comfort  of  the 
inmates  as  a  communicating  bath  room,  where  the 
morning  dip  can  be  taken  immediately  upon  rising 
without  running  the  gauntlet  of  all  the  inmates 
and  servants  to  reach  the  tub;  and  the  first  aim  of 
an  architect  should  be  to  make  the  home  comfort- 
able. 

Sometimes  less  money  is  available  for  plumbing 
in  the  house,  and  the  problem  is  to  secure  the  great- 
est number  of  conveniences  for  the  least  outlay. 
This  has  been  well  accomplished  in  the  three  fol- 
lowing plans  of  a  Colonial  home  of  moderate  cost. 
The  basement  plan,  Fig.  82,  shows  the  general  lay- 
out of  the  water  supply  and  drainage  system,  but 
the  cellar  contains  no  fixtures  except  the  water 
heater. 

The  first  floor  of  this  building  is  shown  in  Fig. 
83.  This  floor  is  noticeable  more  for  the  absence 
of  plumbing  fixtures  than  anything  else;  still,  at 
the  same  time,  there  are  enough  for  all  require- 

140 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


4' Hose  Connectton. 


%  Hose  Connection  - 

CELLAR -PL  AN  - 

Fig.  82 
Cellar  Plan  of  Residence 

141 


-----  Service  Pipe. 


ID    - 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

ments.  The  kitchen  in  this  instance  is  used  as  a 
laundry,  and  a  set  of  two  laundry  tubs  is  provided 
adjoining  the  sink.  These  tubs  have  ash  tops 
which,  when  down,  serve  as  table  space  for  the 
servant. 

The  plumbing  features  of  this  building  are 
mostly  contained  on  the  second  floor,  shown  in  Fig. 
84.  Here,  in  addition  to  the  bath  room,  which  is 
common  to  all  the  inmates,  each  bedroom  has  a 
lavatory.  These  lavatories  are  so  located  that  they 
are  not  visible  in  the  bedrooms,  take  up  but  little 
space  where  they  are,  and  being  located  back  to 
back  one  set  of  pipes  serves  for  each  pair,  so  that 
the  cost  need  be  but  little  more  than  the  fixtures. 
Fixtures  can  be  purchased  for  any  price,  from 
twelve  dollars  upward,  so  that  stationary  lavatories, 
with  all  their  conveniences,  can  be  had  in  sleep- 
ing-rooms for  but  little  more  than  the  cost  of  port- 
able wash  basins,  and  for  far  less  than  the  basin, 
pitcher  and  stand. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  two  of  the  closets  where 
the'  basins  are  located  are  inside  rooms  they  are  de- 
prived of  the  benefits  of  natural  light  and  ventila- 
tion through  windows.  To  offset  this  disadvantage 
the  lavatories  in  these  two  rooms  are  located  along- 
side of  the  doors,  so  that,  so  far  as  sanitary  consid- 
erations are  concerned,  they  may  be  considered  as 
though  set  outside  of  the  partitions  in  the  sleeping- 
rooms,  where  there  is  both  light  and  ventilation. 

A  feature  incorporated  in  this  building,  but  too 
often  omitted  from  buildings  whose  owners  could 
well  afford  the  cost,  is  the  housekeeper's  bath  room 
adjoining  her  sleeping-room.  Cleanliness  begins 

142 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Fig.  83 
First  Floor  Plan  of  Residence 

143 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

with  the  person,  and  if  the  housekeeper  has  no 
means  of  keeping  clean  it  cannot  be  expected  that 
she  will  be  overscrupulous  about  the  food  she  pre- 
pares or  the  building  she  looks  after.  The  best  way, 
then,  to  insure  a  good  clean  home  and  wholesome 
meals  is  to  start  with  the  housekeeper's  quarters 
and  see  that  they  possess  all  the  sanitary  advan- 
tages of  the  rest  of  the  house.  That,  together  with 
a  living  room  for  her,  will  go  a  long  way  toward 
solving  the  so-called  help  problem,  not  to  mention 
the  satisfaction  it  should  give  the  owner. 

In  the  layout  of  fixtures  for  the  bath  room  a 
better  arrangement  would  have  been  to  locate  the 
water  closet  in  a  separate  compartment  adjoining 
the  bath  room  and  accessible  either  from  the  bath 
room  or  the  hall.  To  do  so,  however,  would  have 
necessitated  cutting  up  that  part  of  the  floor  to  a 
considerable  extent,  and  would  have  spoiled  one  of 
the  sleeping-rooms,  unless  the  building  were  made 
larger.  In  short,  it  could  be  done  only  by  sacri- 
ficing a  room,  or  enlarging  the  building  at  great  ex- 
pense, which  it  did  not  warrant.  If  desired,  an 
emergency  closet  could  be  put  in  the  cellar,  but, 
with  a  lavatory  in  every  bedroom  in  the  building,  a 
separate  closet  would  hardly  be  necessary,  although 
it  would  be  desirable. 

Vacuum  outfits  for  cleaning  buildings  cannot 
properly  be  considered  plumbing  work,  but,  as  they 
are  a  sanitary  feature  of  buildings,  and  have  not 
as  yet  been  given  the  consideration  they  merit  in 
planning  the  home,  it  will  not  be  amiss  to  mention 
them  here.  They  are,  comparatively,  so  inexpen- 
sive and  require  so  little  piping  that  it  would  seem 

144 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


CloV/ 

i    n  «• 

J       »-^  Housekeepers 
Bath  Rnor£\  Chamber 


Fig.  84 
Second  Floor  Plan  of  Residence 


145 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

they  should  be  incorporated  in  every  residence,  not 
to  mention  other  classes  of  buildings,  and  the  cost 
of  operation  is  correspondingly  small. 

In  the  building  under  consideration  a  vacuum 
pump  is  shown  on  the  cellar  plan,  and  the  four 
outlets  for  attaching  hose  are  marked  on  the  first 
and  second  floor  plans. 


146 


CHAPTER  XI 


APARTMENT  HOUSE 


PLANNING   THE    PLUMBING 
APARTMENT   HOUSES 


IN 


N  THIS  work  the  term  "apartment 
house"  is  used  to  designate  all  classes 
of  buildings  where  many  housekeeping 
apartments  are  gathered  together  un- 
der one  roof;  not  in  its  more  narrow 
sense  of  a  suite  of  rooms  without  facilities  for 
cooking. 

There  is  great  variety  in  the  design  of  plumb- 
ing in  apartment  houses,  which  differ  from  the  cold- 
water  flat  of  the  cheaper  buildings  to  the  most  ex- 
pensive suites  of  rooms,  sometimes  occupying  two 
floors  of  the  building,  but  isolated  from  all  other 
apartments  and  provided  with  all  the  sanitary  ad- 
vantages of  the  better  class  of  private  houses. 
Whatever  the  class  of  building,  however,  there  are 
certain  requirements  common  to  them  all,  and  the 
real  differences  between  the  cheapest  and  most  ex- 
pensive will  be  found  to  consist  more  in  the  cost  and 
number  of  fixtures  than  in  the  kinds.  As  an  apart- 
ment house  is  merely  an  aggregation  of  private  liv- 

147 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

ing  apartments  gathered  together  under  one  roof,  it 
stands  to  reason  that  each  apartment  must  have 
the  kitchen,  laundry  and  bath-room  fixtures  com- 
mon to  a  private  house.  These  the  moderate-sized 
apartments  have,  while  in  addition  thereto  expen- 
sive apartments  have  butler's  pantry,  bath  room  in 
connection  with  each  room  or  suite  of  rooms  and 
servants'  bath,  just  as  in  the  better  class  of  resi- 
dences. In  some  apartments  a  separate  laundry  is 
provided  in  the  basement  or  attic  for  the  use  of  all 
the  tenants.  In  such  cases  the  usual  set  of  two  or 
three  laundry  trays  may  be  omitted  from  the  vari- 
ous apartments,  but  one  tub  should  be  provided  in 
each  for  the  lighter  washing  inseparable  from  all 
households. 

In  the  general  laundry,  unless  the  landlord  fur- 
nishes fuel  for  boiling  the  clothes,  provision  should 
be  made,  if  gas  is  used,  so  that  each  tenant  will 
have  to  supply  his  own  fuel,  and  provision  should 
be  made,  in  addition  to  outdoor  lines,  for  drying 
clothes  during  inclement  weather. 

In  planning  the  plumbing  in  an  apartment 
house,  for  economical  reasons,  the  fixtures  should 
be  grouped  together  as  much  as  possible  to  minimize 
the  sets  of  vertical  pipes  that  will  have  to  be  ex- 
tended up  through  the  building.  For  instance,  by 
placing  the  kitchens  over  one  another,  and  likewise 
the  bath  rooms  in  the  same  relative  position  on  the 
several  floors,  one  set  of  pipes  will  serve  for  each 
tier  of  fixtures.  If,  however,  the  bath  rooms  and 
kitchens  can  be  placed  adjoining  each  other  one  set 
of  pipes  will  serve  for  both  the  kitchens  and  bath 
rooms.  Carrying  the  principle  still  further,  if  the 

148 


Plumbing    Plans^  and    Specifications 


149 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

kitchen  fixtures  in  two  adjoining  flats  can  be  set 
against  the  bath-room  partition,  or  adjoining  it, 
and  at  the  same  time  back  to  back  or  end  to  end 
against  the  partition  separating  the  kitchens,  one 
set  of  pipes  can  be  made  to  serve  for  the  four  tiers 
of  fixtures,  thereby  keeping  down  considerably  the 
cost  of  the  plumbing  installation.  Oftentimes  such 
an  arrangement  is  not  consistent  with  the  layout  of 
the  rooms,  but  the  possibility  of  such  a  plan  should 
be  kept  in  mind. 

The  hot-water  supply  for  apartment  buildings 
may  be  furnished  from  a  central  plant,  located  in 
the  boiler  room,  as  is  usual  in  the  better  class  of 
buildings;  or,  each  apartment  may  supply  its  own 
water  from  a  water  back  in  the  range,  and  store  it 
in  an  individual  tank.  This  latter  method  is  com- 
monly resorted  to  in  cheaper  classes  of  buildings 
where  the  operating  expenses  are  to  be  kept  down. 
It  is  more  expensive  to  install,  however,  amounting 
in  some  cases  to  several  times  the  cost  of  a  central 
plant. 

What  has  been  said  in  the  chapter  on  residence 
plumbing  will  apply  equally  to  apartment  work. 
This  is  particularly  true  of  noisy  plumbing,  which 
it  is  as  desirable  to  avoid  in  apartment  houses  as  in 
private  homes.  Indeed,  the  two  classes  of  build- 
ings do  not  differ  from  each  other  in  principle. 
They  both  are  residences,  only  in  one  case  they  are 
detached  while  in  the  other  they  are  assembled  un- 
der one  roof.  About  the  only  feature  of  apartment 
work  which  differs  from  residence  work  is  the  re- 
quirement for  a  stack  of  refrigerator  wastes  to 
carry  off  the  drip  from  the  ice-chests. 

150 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

Example  of  Apartment  House  Plans. — In  Fig. 
85  is  shown  the  basement-floor  plan  of  a  moderate- 
priced  apartment  house.  One  end  of  the  basement 
is  occupied  by  the  janitor's  quarters,  which,  on  ac- 
count of  the  grade  of  the  street,  are  above  ground. 
In  the  janitor's  apartment  will  be  found  a  kitchen 
and  a  bath  room  as  fully  equipped  as  in  any  other 
part  of  the  building.  In  the  other  end  of  the  build- 
ing is  located  the  water-heating  apparatus  in  the 
boiler  room  adjoining  the  coal  bin.  As  would  be 
inferred  from  that  fact,  the  building  throughout 
is  supplied  with  hot  water  from  this  source. 

The  main,  or  first  floor,  plan  is  shown  in  Fig. 
86.  The  building,  which  stands  on  a  corner,  is  di- 
vided in  the  center  by  the  vestibule  and  main  hall, 
so  that  one  apartment  occupies  each  end  of  the 
structure  and  is  isolated  from  all  other  apartments, 
thereby  insuring  privacy. 

The  second  and  third  floor  plans  are  shown  in 
Fig.  87  and  the  fourth-floor  plan  is  shown  in  Fig. 
88.  It  will  be  noticed  that  at  the  end  of  the  dress- 
ers in  the  several  kitchens,  ice  chests  are  indicated, 
and  drip  pans  connected  to  refrigerator  waste  pipes 
are  provided  for  each  ice  box.  The  bath  rooms  are 
each  equipped  with  a  full  set  of  fixtures— bathtub, 
water  closet  and  lavatory — and  the  kitchen  contains 
a  sink  and  set  of  two  laundry  trays.  If  a  separate 
laundry  were  provided  in  the  cellar  one  of  these 
laundry  trays  could  be  omitted  from  each  kitchen. 

A  feature  of  this  building  which  will  bear  ex- 
amination is  the  grouping  of  fixtures  close  together. 
It  will  be  observed  that  eight-inch  partitions  are 
provided  between  the  bath  rooms  and  kitchens,  and 

152 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

in  these  partitions  the  soil  and  vent  stacks  for  each 
tier  of  apartments  are  run.  By  so  grouping  the 
fixtures  one  set  of  risers  is  made  to  do  for  each 
half  of  the  building,  so  that  only  two  soil  and  vent 
stacks  are  required  for  the  entire  installation. 

Overflows  for  Apartment -House  Fixtures. — 

In  fitting  up  the  plumbing  in  apartment  houses,  or 
in  designing  the  layout  and  writing  the  specifica- 
tions, one  special  provision  is  necessary  that  is  not 
of  so  much  importance  in  residence  work.  This 
special  requirement  is  the  providing  of  overflow 
pipes  for  each  fixture  or  set  of  fixtures,  particu- 
larly if  the  fixtures  are  provided  with  stoppers. 
Take  a  set  of  laundry  trays,  for  instance.  If  clothes 
were  put  to  soak  over  night,  and  one  of  the  faucets 
did  not  shut  off  tight,  the  fixtures  would  fill  and 
overflow,  perhaps  creating  considerable  damage  to 
the  ceilings  below,  and  at  all  events  causing  quite 
a  nuisance  to  tenants  on  lower  floors.  For  this  rea- 
son, it  is  customary  to  require  laundry  trays  fitted 
with  overflow  pipes,  and  in  some  cases  the  kitchen 
sinks  are  likewise  required  to  be  fitted  with  over- 
flows. 

Miscellaneous   Apparatus   for  Apartment 

Houses.— Unless  the  water  supply  in  the  city  where 
an  apartment  house  is  to  be  built  is  perfectly  pure 
and  wholesome,  a  sanitary  filter  should  form  part  of 
the  plumbing  equipment  to  sterilize  the  water  be- 
fore delivering  it  to  the  tenants.  Meters  will  like- 
wise generally  be  required,  and  should  be  kept  in 
mind  by  the  designer,  because  either  the  owner  will 
consider  it  cheaper  to  buy  water  by  meter  rates  or 

154 


Plumbing    Plans^and    Specifications 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

the  Water  Board  will  insist  on  the  building  being 
metered,  so  that  almost  invariably  a  meter  will  be 
required.  Sometimes  water  will  not  reach  to  the 
upper  floor  of  an  apartment  house  and  a  house 
tank  must  be  provided.  This  in  turn  necessitates 
the  installation  of  a  pump  for  filling  the  tank,  and 
the  designer  must  keep  in  mind  the  various  pumps 
at  his  choice,  such  as  hot-air  pumps,  electric  oper- 
ated pumps  or  steam  pumps,  the  conditions  govern- 
ing the  case  determining  the  choice. 

Yard  and  area  drains  must  not  be  forgotten, 
nor  leader  pipes  when  they  are  permitted  to  dis- 
charge into  the  sewer.  Likewise  a  trapped  and 
water  supplied  sink  is  generally  required  in  the 
basement  to  take  the  drip  from  the  ice  boxes. 


156 


CHAPTER  XII 


SCHOOL   BUILDINGS 


PLANNING   THE    PLUMBING    FOR 
SCHOOL    BUILDINGS 

ENERAL  Considerations.— Of  all 

classes  of  buildings  in  which  plumbing 
fixtures  are  installed,  in  no  class  is  the 
work  so  poorly  planned,  with  such  dis- 
regard for  the  fundamental  principles 
of  sanitation,  as  in  the  school  buildings  throughout 
the  United  States,  outside  of  a  few  of  the  principal 
cities.  Where  will  there  be  found  a  public  build- 
ing— such  as  hospital,  sanitarium,  office  building, 
hotel  or  like  structure — equipped  with  primitive 
outbuildings,  the  Smead  system,  latrines  or  range 
troughs?  Yet  many  of  the  school  buildings  to-day 
are  equipped  with  j  ust  such  obsolete  systems.  That 
is  not  as  it  should  be,  and,  no  doubt,  if  the  entire 
matter  were  left  in  the  hands  of  the  architect  in 
charge,  the  standard  of  work  would  soon  be  raised. 
There  is  no  good  reason  why  the  plumbing  work 
in  schools  should  not  be  of  the  very  best  type,  re- 
flecting the  latest  in  sanitary  design.  Children  are 
sent  to  school  to  learn  not  only  the  lessons  taught  by 

157 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

text  books,  but,  by  mixing  with  other  children  and 
observing  mechanical  installations  in  buildings,  they 
are  supposed  to  unconsciously  pick  up  much  that 
otherwise  would  not  be  learned.  They  gain  the  first 
impression  of  sanitary  devices  from  the  plumbing 
equipment  in  the  school  building.  That  being  true, 
and  first  impressions  lasting,  to  create  a  right  im- 
pression the  installation  should  be  the  very  best. 
If  it  is  dirty,  disgustingly  filthy,  and  in  a  poorly 
lighted,  ill-ventilated  apartment,  it  creates  a  feel- 
ing of  loathing  whenever  the  child  is  forced  to  avail 
himself  of  its  advantages,  and  dreading  to  touch 
the  devices,  he  is  not  overscrupulous  as  to  the  man- 
ner of  using  them.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  toilet 
accommodations  are  clean  and  white,  located  in 
bright,  cheerful  rooms  which  are  scrupulously  clean 
and  well  ventilated,  the  most  pronounced  vandal 
among  them  would  not  feel  inclined  to  deface  any 
portion  of  the  room  or  equipment.  It  follows, 
therefore,  that  for  educational  as  well  as  for  sani- 
tary reasons  the  very  best  plumbing  should  be 
placed  in  school  buildings. 

PRIMARY  AND  INTERMEDIATE 
SCHOOLS 

Water-Gloset  Accommodations. — In  planning 
primary  and  intermediate  school  buildings,  the  prac- 
tice of  grouping  all  toilet  accommodations  together 
in  one  place,  which  is  usually  located  in  the  base- 
ment of  the  buildings,  has  become  firmly  rooted  in 
school  design.  Within  recent  years,  however,  there 
is  indication  of  a  desire  to  break  away  from  that 
set  practice,  and  the  more  advanced  architects, 

158 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

who  make  a  study  of  school  design,  are  placing 
separate  toilet  rooms  on  each  floor  of  the  building 
in  the  grammar  schools,  so  that  students  from  the 
several  floors  will  have  separate  accommodations; 
while  in  the  primary  schools,  for  pupils  under  four- 
teen years  of  age,  the  toilet  accommodations  for 
each  classroom  are  located  in  separate  and  indi- 
vidual toilet  rooms  adjoining  the  classrooms.  In 
the  latter  case,  urinals  are  dispensed  with,  the  same 
as  in  the  home,  and,  indeed,  the  toilet  room  resem- 
bles to  a  great  extent  the  toilet  accommodations  in 
a  private  house,  with  which  the  children  are  sup- 
posed to  be  familiar. 

In  the  children's  toilet  rooms  children's  closets 
12  inches  in  height  may  very  satisfactorily  be  used, 
while  in  the  more  advanced  schools,  of  course,  regu- 
lar standard-size  closets  will  be  installed. 

Number  of  Fixtures  Required. — There  are  no 
standard  rules  in  the  United  States  for  apportion- 
ing toilet  fixtures  in  schools.  So  far  as  can  be  de- 
rived from  plumbing  equipments  now  in  satisfac- 
tory operation,  about  one  water  closet  and  one  and 
one-half  urinal  are  provided  for  each  fifty  male  stu- 
dents, or  fraction  thereof,  and  one  and  one-half 
water  closet  for  each  fifty  girls  in  the  school.  In 
cases  where  separate  water-closet  compartments 
adjoining  classrooms  are  provided,  one  water  closet 
for  twenty-five  students,  either  male  or  female, 
will  be  found  the  greatest  possible  limit,  and  one  to 
twenty  would  probably  be  more  nearly  right. 

In  Great  Britain  a  certain  number  of  fixtures 
are  required  for  schools  of  different  sizes.  These 

159 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


will  be  found  listed  in  tabular  form  in  Table  I.  In 
this  table  lineal  feet  of  urinal  trough  have  been 
converted  into  individual  urinals.  In  the  original 
table  8  feet  of  urinal  trough  is  required  for  each 
hundred  boys. 

The  numbers  given  in  the  table  will  be  found 
perfectly  safe  and  may  be  followed  in  any  locality: 

TABLE    I 

NUMBER  OF  TOILET  FIXTURES  FOR  SCHOOLS 

Kind  and  Number  of  Fixtures 


Number  of  Children 

Water  Closets 

Urinals 

Girls 

Boys 

Infants 

Boys 

Under  30  children  . 

O 

4 
5 
6 
8 
12 

O 

2 
3 
3 
4 
5 

2 

q 

3 
4 
5 

6 

8 

2 

3 
4 
5 
7 
10 
15 

50 

70          ' 

100 

150         '       

200         '       
300          '       

Ventilation  of  Toilet  Rooms. — It  goes  without 
saying  that  any  toilet  room,  whether  in  a  school- 
house  or  other  building,  in  which  a  number  of 
water  closets  are  grouped  together,  should  be  well 
ventilated.  In  case  the  water  closets  are  of  a 
siphon  type,  or  of  any  other  design  which  contains 
a  large  volume  of  water  and  but  little  soiling  sur- 
face, ventilation  of  the  room  will  be  all  that  is 
necessary,  the  vent  registers  being  located  imme- 
diately back  of  the  closets.  If  washout  closets  are 
used,  on  the  other  hand,  and  it  might  be  added, 
emphatically,  that  they  should  not  be,  each  closet 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

should  be  separately  vented  through  a  local  vent, 
having  at  least  eight  square  inches  of  surface,  con- 
nected to  a  shaft  having  a  positive  draft  insured  by 
mechanical  means.  If  for  any  reason  the  toilet 
room  is  so  located  that  the  air  is  heavy  and  venti- 
lation consequently  sluggish,  or  if  it  is  approached 
by  descending  a  few  steps  into  the  room,  each 
closet,  of  whatever  type,  should  be  separately  vent- 
ed with  a  local  vent.  In  many  cases  it  is  better  to 
vent  the  closets  than  to  vent  the  room  through  reg- 
isters located  back  of  the  closets;  but  as  a  rule,  it 
is  better  to  vent  the  closet  compartments  used  by 
girls,  than  to  vent  the  closets  by  means  of  local 
vents. 

Teachers'  Room. — In  addition  to  the  general 
toilet  accommodations  for  the  students,  each  floor, 
or  each  classroom,  should  be  provided  with  a  retir- 
ing-room and  toilet  accommodations  for  the  teach- 
ers. This  is  a  provision  too  often  overlooked  in  the 
design  of  school  buildings,  although  it  is  as  neces- 
sary as  toilet  accommodations  for  the  children. 

Infirmary. — A  provision  which  should  be  made 
in  all  school  buildings — in  fact,  which  should  be  re- 
quired wherever  a  large  number  of  people  congre- 
gate— is  a  room  set  aside  as  an  infirmary  and 
equipped  with  the  fixtures  necessary  for  emer- 
gency cases.  For  instance,  there  should  be  a  lava- 
tory, a  water  closet,  bath  tub  and  possibly  a  hos- 
pital slop  sink.  While  this  provision  has  been  neg- 
lected to  a  great  extent  in  the  past  it  is  more  than 
likely  that  the  action  of  a  few  of  the  Eastern  cities, 
notably  Boston,  in  providing  medical  supervision 

161 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

of  the  schools,*  will  be  followed  throughout  the 
United  States  when  the  benefits  derived  from  the 
system  become  known.  In  Boston,  at  the  present 
time,  a  nurse  is  in  charge  of  the  physical  welfare 
of  the  children  in  each  school,  to  assist  in  testing 
the  sight,  hearing  and  other  senses  of  the  pupils, 
with  a  view  of  correcting  any  infirmity  which 
might  prevent  their  applying  themselves  to  their 
studies  as  they  should.  In  addition  the  nurses  are 
always  on  the  lookout  to  detect  premonitory  symp- 
toms of  contagious  diseases  like  measles,  mumps, 
whooping-cough  and  fevers. 

In  order  that  the  nurse  will  have  the  proper 
facilities  and  a  suitable  place  to  conduct  her  exami- 
nations in,  an  infirmary  will  be  found  indispens- 
able in  schools  which  contemplate  medical  supervi- 
sion. Even  where  there  is  no  medical  supervision 
an  infirmary  containing  the  fixtures  enumerated 
and  a  couch  to  lie  on  should  be  provided. 

Fainting  fits  and  other  weaknesses  are  not  un- 
common where  a  number  of  children  are  gathered 
together,  and  a  suitable  place  should  be  provided 
for  the  treatment  of  the  patient  in  such  cases. 

Shower  Baths. — Installing  shower  baths  in 
school  buildings  has  become  such  a  settled  practice 
at  the  present  time  that  but  few  school  buildings 
can  be  found,  particularly  in  the  poorer  quarters 
in  some  cities,  which  are  not  equipped  with  show- 
ers, and  lockers  for  the  holding  of  clothes  while 
the  children  are  having  a  bath.  This  practice  is 

•Argentina,  Belgium,  Bulgaria,  England,  France,  Japan,  Sweden  and 
Switzerland  make  national  provision  for  the  medical  inspection  of  school 
children.  In  America  and  Germany  it  has  not  yet  become  universal,  only 
certain  of  the  cities  having  taken  up  the  work. 

162 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

found  so  satisfactory  that  it  will  become  more  firm- 
ly rooted  with  time,  until  no  architect  would  think 
of  designing  a  public  school  without  including 
shower  baths.  This  becomes  the  more  necessary 
now  that  gymnasiums  and  playgrounds  where  ath- 
letic sports  are  conducted  are  becoming  part  of 
every  well-equipped  school  building.  After  a  game 
of  basketball,  football  or  a  half  hour  in  the  gym- 
nasium a  shower  bath  is  almost  indispensable  to 
the  exercisers. 

Swimming- Pools. — The  teaching  of  swimming 
is  being  considered  seriously  by  school  authorities 
throughout  the  country,  as  it  has  been  for  many 
years  by  educational  authorities  in  Great  Britain 
and  Europe,  where  swimming-pools  in  school  build- 
ings are  by  no  means  scarce.  In  this  country,  like- 
wise, swimming-pools  have  been  provided  in  school 
buildings  in  some  cities,  where  they  are  in  the  na- 
ture of  an  experiment,  and  no  doubt  the  benefits 
derived  will  cause  their  spread  to  other  localities. 
In  inland  cities,  where  natural  bodies  of  water  are 
lacking  in  which  children  could  learn  to  swim,  the 
providing  of  swimming-pools  in  the  school  build- 
ings should  be  seriously  considered  by  the  design- 
ing architect.  Where  natural  water  courses  are 
available  the  provision  is  not  so  necessary,  although 
it  would  seem  as  though  the  art  of  swimming  should 
be  taught  in  all  schools. 

Kitchens  in  Schools. —In  schools  where  cook- 
ing is  taught  a  room  fitted  up  as  a  kitchen,  with 
sinks  for  drawing  water  and  cleansing  dishes, 
ranges  for  cooking  food  and  heating  water,  tables 

163 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

and  all  the  usual  fixtures,  will  be  required.  But 
there  is  another  reason  why  kitchens  will  be  re- 
quired in  schools  of  the  future. 

At  the  present  time  it  is  safe  to  say  that  two 
per  cent,  of  the  children  attending  school  are  hun- 
gry. This  not  only  causes  mental  inefficiency,  for 
nobody  can  work  or  study  to  the  best  advantage 
while  tortured  by  the  gnawing  of  hunger,  but  it  is 
furthermore  one  of  the  causes  of  crime.  Why, 
then,  should  not  public  schools  serve  a  wholesome 
noonday  lunch  to  the  pupils,  even  though  the  prac- 
tice would  seem  revolutionary  and  socialistic?  In 
cities  where  cooking  is  part  of  the  curriculum  the 
municipal  government  does  not  hesitate  to  provide 
foodstuffs  for  the  students  to  cook,  and  eat  if  they 
see  fit;  then  why  should  the  school  authorities  re- 
fuse to  provide  a  like  or  even  a  greater  amount  for 
underfed  school-children? 

The  same  good  end  would  be  attained  in  either 
case  and  the  necessity  would  justify  the  expendi- 
ture. At  all  events,  the  architects  in  large  cities 
will  do  well  to  keep  in  mind  the  possibility  of  kitch- 
ens being  necessary  in  school  buildings.  Since  the 
foregoing  paragraphs  were  written  London,  Eng- 
land, has  taken  up  the  subject  of  feeding  school- 
children, as  may  be  seen  by  the  footnote.  * 

*SCHOOL   LUNCHES   TAX   ITEM 

LONDON  COUNTY  COUNCIL  TO  SUPPORT  FEEDING  OF  NEEDY  CHILDREN 

LONDON,  January  2.— Steps  are  to  be  taken  by  the  London  county  coun- 
cil to  place  the  cost  of  feeding  necessitous  school-children  on  the  rates. 

Urgent  appeals  were  made  by  Lord  Mayor  Sir  George  Truscott,  R.  A. 
Robinson,  chairman  of  the  London  county  council,  and  other  influential  per- 
sons for  subscriptions  to  the  voluntary  funds.  The  response  has,  however, 
been  inadequate,  and  the  funds  now  in  hand,  it  is  anticipated,  will  not  be  suf- 
ficient to  feed  the  children  until  the  county  council  resumes  work  again  after 
the  Christmas  holidays. 

164 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

At  the  meeting  of  the  London  educational  committee  a  sub-committee's 
report  will  be  presented  recommending'  that  representations  be  made  to  the 
board  of  education  that  an  order  for  the  power  to  levy  a  rate  should  be  issued. 
It  is  intended  that  the  power  to  take  the  necessary  funds— estimated  at  $50,- 
000— from  the  rates  should  be  used  only  if  there  is  a  shortage  of  money  during 
the  recess. 

The  education  (provision  of  meals)  act  gives  powers  where  voluntary 
contributions  are  insufficient  to  spend  money  from  the  rates  for  the  provision 
of  meals  within  the  limit  of  a  half -penny  rate. 

Drinking- Fountains.— Drinking  fountains  of  a 
sanitary  type,  which  require  no  cups,  should  be  lib- 
erally provided  for  school-children.  The  ordinary 
drinking-f ountain,  with  one  cup  for  the  use  of  all 
children,  is  unsanitary  in  the  extreme  and  goes  a 
great  way  toward  making  epidemic  cases  of  diph- 
theria, mumps  and  whooping-cough,  not  to  men- 
tion the  possibility  of  communicating  the  bacilli  of 
tuberculosis  from  lip  to  lip.  In  a  school  building 
children  coming  from  all  parts  of  the  school  dis- 
trict mingle  together  for  a  few  hours,  then  sepa- 
rate, and  if  one  child  is  affected  with  a  communi- 
cable disease,  great  danger  exists  of  its  spreading 
to  others,  thence  to  the  whole  district. 

As  water  is  a  well-known  channel  of  infection, 
and  drinking-cups  a  convenient  mode  of  infecting 
the  water  or  communicating  a  disease  by  direct 
contact,  the  use  of  drinking-cups,  or  fountains 
which  require  the  use  of  them,  should  give  way  to 
the  sanitary  drinking-fountain. 

Advanced  Schools  and  Colleges. — In  the  ad- 
vanced schools  and  colleges  many  of  the  require- 
ments for  primary  schools  may  be  dispensed  with. 
For  instance,  swimming-pools  and  showers  will  not 
be  necessary  unless  forming  part  of  the  gymnasium 
outfit.  Further,  kitchens  may  well  be  dispensed 
with,  and  the  toilet  accommodations  can  be  grouped 

165 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

together  in  toilet  rooms,  forming  tiers  on  the  sev- 
eral floors.  Outside  of  these  exceptions  what  has 
already  been  said  about  primary  schools  will  apply 
almost  equally  to  advanced  schools. 

Fire  lines  will  be  found  desirable  in  all  school 
buildings  of  whatever  grade,  and  in  college  build- 
ings special  plumbing  fixtures  are  required  in  the 
various  departments,  such  as  in  the  chemical  labo- 
ratory. Some  of  these  fixtures  will  have  to  be 
lined  with  lead,  with  the  seams  burned  instead  of 
soldered.  When  designing  plumbing  for  such  pur- 
poses, however,  the  best  way  is  to  consult  with  the 
professors  of  the  different  departments  and  learn 
their  various  requirements. 

EXAMPLES   OF   PLUMBING   IN 
SGHOOLHOUSES 

In  Fig.  89  is  shown  the  floor  plan  of  a  school 
building  fitted  with  separate  girls'  and  boys'  rooms 
communicating  with  each  classroom.  In  addition 
to  the  children's  toilet  rooms  one  is  provided  for 
the  teachers  also,  which  is  accessible  from  the 
main  hall.  It  will  be  observed  that  to  reach  the 
toilet  rooms  the  pupils  have  to  pass  through  a  ward- 
robe. By  this  arrangement  any  embarrassment 
due  to  self  consciousness  is  relieved,  and  at  the 
same  time,  owing  to  the  two  doors  which  sound 
will  have  to  pass  through,  it  is  pretty  well  dead- 
ened. It  might  seem  unnecessary  to  point  out  that 
in  planning  work  on  this  order  noiseless  combina- 
tions should  be  specified  so  that  the  original  noise 
will  be  reduced  to  the  minimum. 

166 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


A  Exx>K  STORAGE 

D    E>OY5    TOILET 
C      .      WWftOK 
P  SIRLS  TOILET 


Fig.  89 
NR5T     FLOOR    PLAM    •*  APAM3    SCHOOL 

CtPAR     RAPJP3    IA. 

5HOW/MQ    ALTCRAT/OMJ     IN    CLO5£IT^    X»flP    WA/^P^OBtS 
TO  FIT   BVILPIHQ  FOR.  TOILET  5Y^TCM  ATTACHED  TO   EACH  JCMOOL  ROOM 


167 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

There  are  no  urinals  used  in  this  system  of 
school  plumbing,  but  the  boys'  closets  are  fitted 
with  self-raising  seats  which  remain  up  when  not 
in  use.  In  the  lower  grades  low  closets,  12  inches 
high,  may  be  used. 

Ventilation  is  necessary  in  installments  of  this 
kind,  and  in  the  present  case  is  obtained  by  means 
of  local  vents  connected  to  the  shafts  against 
which  the  closets  are  backed.  These  shafts  are 
heated  with  steam  coils  to  insure  a  positive  draft. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  this  building  was  an  al- 
teration the  water  closets  could  not  be  placed  in 
rooms  having  windows  opening  to  the  outer  air. 
This  objection  has  been  overcome,  however,  in  the 
typical  floor  plan  illustrated  in  Fig.  90,  which  shows 
the  arrangement  favored  by  the  schoolboard  of 
Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  where  the  method  was  first 
tried  out.  The  schools  in  which  this  system  is 
used  are  all  grammar  or  grade  schools,  taking 
pupils  up  to  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  the  system 
for  such  schools  can  be  pronounced  a  success.  It 
is  conducive  to  better  morals,  discipline  and  sani- 
tation, and  the  pupils  can  be  trained  in  the  proper 
use  of  plumbing  fixtures  if  they  do  not  get  that 
training  at  home.  It  cuts  out  a  source  of  moral 
contamination  that  exists  in  the  congregate-closet 
system,  where  a  score  or  more  children  can  meet 
at  any  time  to  learn  all  sorts  of  evil  as  well  as  do 
damage  and  commit  nuisance  with  little  fear  of  de- 
tection. 

On  the  whole,  the  sanitary  arrangements  for 
young  school  children  should  be  as  clean,  bright, 
attractive  and  perfect  as  they  and  the  surround- 

168 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

ings  can  be  be  made.  There  is  no  logic  or  sense  in 
the  old  argument  that  children  will  destroy  good 
fixtures.  It  is  only  the  dirty,  filthy  and  ugly  that 
children  destroy;  they  kill  snakes,  lizards,  toads, 
other  reptiles,  but  never  destroy  pretty  flowers, 
delicate  china  ware  or  pretty  pictures.  But  even 
though  there  was  a  latent  vandalism  in  childhood 
to  guard  against,  why  not  provide  elevating  in- 
stead of  degrading  fixtures  and  rooms,  then  put  in 
a  matron  in  the  girls'  toilet  and  monitor  in  the 
boys'  to  see  that  no  damage  is  done?  Hotels, 
steam-ships,  railroad  stations  and  large  department 
stores  find  it  necessary  to  place  the  toilet  rooms  for 
grown-up  people  in  charge  of  overseers,  why  should 
more  care  and  intelligence  be  expected  of  children? 
The  logical  thing  to  do  is  to  provide  the  very  best 
which  will  tend  to  elevate  the  children,  then  put 
somebody  in  charge  so  they  can  do  no  harm. 


170 


CHAPTER  XIII 


Y.   M.   G.  A.   BUILDINGS 

m    m 

PLANNING   THE    PLUMBING    IN 
Y.    M.    C.    A.    BUILDINGS 

S  Young  Men's  Christian  Association 
buildings  grew  in  number  they  in- 
creased in  importance,  so  that  at  the 
present  time  they  occupy  a  distinct 
place  in  architecture,  which  entitles 
them  to  be  considered  in  a  class  by  themselves. 
This  is  due  partly  to  the  fact  that  they  combine 
under  one  roof  some  of  the  distinctive  features  of 
several  classes  of  buildings.  For  instance,  ath- 
letics being  one  of  the  features  of  the  association, 
these  buildings  have  gymnasiums,  swimming-pools, 
showers  and  all  the  accessories  which  belong  to  an 
athletic  club. 

The  social  side  of  the  members  is  encouraged 
by  means  of  bowling-alleys,  reading-rooms,  club 
rooms  and  association  halls.  The  educational 
function  of  the  association  is  made  easy  by  the  pro- 
vision for  class  rooms,  school  rooms  and  assembly 
rooms,  while  the  hotel  feature  is  to  be  found  in 
rooms  for  lodgers,  which  are  rented,  without  meals, 

171 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

to  men.  The  serving  of  meals  has  never  been  a 
feature  of  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  work 
so  far,  although  there  seems  a  tendency  in  that  di- 
rection in  some  quarters  at  the  present  time;  con- 
sequently something  in  the  way  of  a  restaurant  or 
dining-room  and  kitchen  must  be  provided  for  in 
the  buildings  where  meals  are  to  be  served,  and 
a  kitchen  where  meals  can  be  prepared  for  ban- 
quets should  be  provided  in  all  buildings  of  this 
class. 

Turkish  baths  usually  form  part  of  the  gen- 
eral bathing  facilities  in  such  buildings  and  will  be 
found  incorporated  in  most  of  the  plans. 

It  is  but  reasonable  to  suppose  that  a  building 
which  combines  so  many  different  features  must 
contain  a  great  deal  of  plumbing  work,  and  such  is 
the  case.  In  the  basement,  where  the  swimming- 
pool  is  generally  located,  will  be  found  a  number 
of  shower  baths,  so  that  the  bathers  can  cleanse 
their  persons  before  plunging  into  the  pool  of 
water.  Close  by  the  showers  will  usually  be  found 
the  Turkish  bath  rooms,  with  their  various  combi- 
nations of  dry-heat  and  vapor-heat  compartments, 
electric  baths,  light  baths,  and  all  the  various  other 
appliances  which  belong  to  the  department  of 
bathing. 

A  general  toilet  room  will  usually  be  found  on 
this  floor,  as  well  as  separate  toilets  and  lavatories 
of  a  less  general  nature,  an  engineers'  or  janitors' 
toilet  room,  and  a  boiler  room  in  which  is  located 
the  heating  apparatus  for  supplying  hot  water  not 
only  to  the  building  proper  but  also  to  the  swim- 
ming pool. 

172 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


-BV1LPI NG  FOR^ 


MEN*/"  OHR.L/"TLAM  A^OCIATIOri- 
:K_IA7THC  -A.K_C«I  TECTV  • 

U     Eu    -V 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

Usually  the  first  story  of  the  building  contains 
the  least  plumbing  of  any  of  the  floors.  This  is  be- 
cause the  first  story  is  generally  occupied  by  the 
main  lobby,  office,  gymnasium  and  a  few  depart- 
ment headquarters,  which  do  away  with  the  neces- 
sity for  any  great  number  of  plumbing  fixtures.  A 
drinking  fountain  of  sanitary  type  will  be  found 
desirable  for  this  floor,  as  it  likewise  will  for  each 
floor  of  the  building,  and  fire  lines  should  not  be 
overlooked  when  preparing  the  plumbing  plan  and 
writing  the  specifications. 

The  second  story  of  the  building  generally  con- 
tains an  assembly  room,  which  may  be  used  for 
lectures,  exhibits,  class  recitations  and  various 
other  purposes.  In  order  that  concert  and  like  en- 
tertainments may  be  given,  a  couple  of  dressing 
rooms,  each  containing  a  lavatory,  will  not  be 
amiss.  A  kitchen  on  this  floor,  communicating 
with  the  assembly  room,  will  be  found  convenient 
in  case  of  banquets  or  other  celebrations  in  the 
building. 

Above  the  second  floor,  unless  some  of  this 
space  is  required  for  association  work,  the  building 
is  partitioned  off  into  sleeping  rooms,  to  be  rented 
to  lodgers,  the  same  as  rooms  in  a  hotel.  This 
necessitates  providing  washing,  bathing  and  toilet 
facilities  on  such  floors  of  the  building  as  are  given 
over  to  this  purpose.  Usually  the  washing  accom- 
modations are  grouped  together  in  one  room,  where 
all  the  lodgers  repair  for  a  wash.  When  there  is 
sufficient  money  available,  however,  to  pay  for  the 
extra  work,  separate  lavatories  in  each  room  will 
be  found  more  desirable,  and  the  increased  price 

174 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Fig.  92 


175 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

which  can  be  charged  for  rooms  with  running  water 
will  soon  repay  the  original  outlay.  The  bathing 
facilities  on  the  various  floors  of  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  buildings  usually  consist  of 
shower  baths.  However,  where  female  help  is  em- 
ployed to  keep  the  building  clean,  the  maids'  toilet 
should  be  as  fully  equipped  as  the  bath  room  in  a 
private  house,  and  should  contain  an  ordinary  bath 
tub  instead  of  a  shower  bath.  It  is  well,  likewise, 
to  provide  at  least  one  bath  tub  on  each  floor  of  the 
building,  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  would  prefer 
a  tubbing  to  a  shower. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  all  water  used  in  a 
building  of  this  character  should  be  filtered  and  that 
the  supply  pipes  should  be  well  proportioned,  so 
that  a  copious  flow  of  water  can  be  had  at  all  times 
at  all  fixtures  without  the  annoyance  of  one  faucet 
robbing  another. 

The  plans  for  a  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation building  may  be  seen  in  the  five  accompany- 
ing illustrations.  In  Fig.  91  is  shown  the  basement 
floor,  which  contains  the  Turkish  baths,  swimming 
pool,  general  toilet  room  and  a  battery  of  showers, 
besides  some  scattered  toilet  rooms.  This  floor 
may  be  considered  as  having  most  of  the  plumbing 
features  belonging  to  an  athletic  club. 

The  first  floor  plan  is  shown  in  Fig.  92.  This 
floor  contains,  besides  the  general  lobby,  general 
office  and  gymnasium,  a  special  exercise  room,  ex- 
amination room  and  physical  director's  office,  and  a 
few  scattered  toilet  rooms. 

The  layout  of  the  second  floor  is  shown  in  Fig. 
93,  a  toilet  room  off  the  visitors'  gallery,  another 

176 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


•BVI LD  ING  -  FOR,  -  THE 

•  JACKSONVILLE  ,  FLOK-IRA.  --•    H.  a.KLLTJTH  O 


PLAN  *  FOR  v  5E.GOND  *  FLOOR-  v 
Fig.  93 


177 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

opening  off  from  the  ladies1  parlor  and  a  kitchen 
sink  being  all  the  plumbing  installed  on  this  floor. 

In  Fig.  94  is  shown  a  plan  of  the  third  floor. 
The  only  fixtures  on  this  floor  are  the  sink  in  the 
dark  room  and  a  general  toilet  room  for  the  use  of 
the  occupants  of  this  floor. 

The  fourth,  fifth  and  sixth  floors  are  shown  in 
Fig.  95.  These  floors  are  designed  for  use  as 
dormitories  and  contain  no  fixtures  outside  of  the 
maids'  toilet,  the  general  toilet  room  and  a  private 
toilet  room  communicating  with  rooms  417  and  418. 
As  was  previously  remarked,  lavatories  in  the  vari- 
ous sleeping  rooms  on  these  floors  would  add  greatly 
to  the  convenience  and  comfort  of  the  inmates,  and 
at  a  cost  but  slightly  greater  than  that  of  portable 
basins  and  stands.  On  the  other  hand,  while  the 
original  outlay  would  be  more,  the  increased  reve- 
nue from  rooms  provided  with  running  water  would 
soon  balance  the  account,  leaving  a  net  income 
from  the  investment.  A  good  feature  of  the  plan 
under  consideration  is  the  providing  of  private 
toilet  rooms  in  connection  with  bedrooms.  As  in 
hotel  buildings,  it  would  be  well  in  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
buildings  to  provide  a  certain  percentage  of  the 
sleeping  rooms  with  private  baths. 

It  would  seem  that  in  large  Y.  M.  C.  A.  build- 
ings, where  several  floors  are  given  up  to  rooms 
for  lodging,  that  the  bed  linen,  towels  and  other 
articles  requiring  washing  would  warrant  the  es- 
tablishing of  a  laundry  as  part  of  the  plumbing  or 
mechanical  installation.  This  would  seem  the 
logical  thing  to  do,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the 
necessary  power  is  available  and  everything  con- 

178 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


FOR-'THZl-YOVrcG^EJ^^ 
«-  H:  c7: 


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J-»-0*x.»3O-6" 


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rOR.* THIRD  -FLO  OIL 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

venient  for  operating  the  laundry.  A  further  con- 
sideration would  be  the  fact  that  besides  the  money 
saved  on  the  household  linen  the  personal  washing 
of  the  roomers  would  help  swell  the  revenue  from 
this  branch  or  department. 

In  Y.  M.  C.  A.  buildings  where  manual  train- 
ing is  to  be  taught  special  provision  will  have  to 
be  made  in  fitting  up  the  shop  rooms,  the  plumb- 
ing work  required  depending  a  great  deal  on  the 
extent  to  which  the  association  wishes  to  carry  on 
the  work  of  training.  If  trades  are  to  be  taught, 
and  plumbing  is  to  be  one  of  the  trades,  it  would 
be  well  to  have  testing  troughs  connected  with  the 
soil  pipe  and  supplied  with  running  water  so  that 
the  various  apparatus  used  in  plumbing  can  be 
tested  and  tried.  Further,  it  would  be  well  to  have 
outlets  to  which  work  of  the  students  could  be  con- 
nected, when  finished,  so  they  would  see  how  the 
work  held  up  under  pressure. 

In  like  manner,  in  the  chemical  laboratory 
special  provision  will  have  to  be  made  for  students 
of  chemistry,  running  water,  waste  connections  and 
gas  outlets  being  required  at  the  laboratory  tables. 
Lead  lined  sinks  are  sometimes  required  for  this 
purpose,  when  acids  are  to  be  used  that  would  at- 
tack and  destroy  other  materials,  and  when  lead 
sinks  are  used,  it  is  better  to  have  the  corners 
burned  than  soldered,  as  acids  often  destroy  solder 
when  they  do  not  injure  lead.  The  best  thing  to 
to  do  when  trades  are  to  be  taught  in  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
buildings,  is  to  consult  with  the  instructors  who 
will  have  charge  of  the  various  departments  as  to 
their  several  requirements,  and  then  make  pro- 

180 


Plumbing    Plans  "and    Specifications 


-B  V I L  D 1  H  G  •  FOR.-TH  E.  -  YOVMG 


PJLAM-rOR.-rOVR.TH 

Fig.  95 


181 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

vision  accordingly.  One  requirement,  however, 
which  may  well  be  borne  in  mind,  is  lockers  and 
wash  room  for  the  workers.  When  the  students 
finish  work  at  the  lathe,  moulding  sand,  wiping 
solder,  or  sheet  metal  bench,  they  will  want  to 
wash,  and  change  their  work  clothes  for  street  at- 
tire, and  this  cannot  be  conveniently  done  without 
lockers  for  their  use  and  lavatories  with  hot  water 
convenient  for  the  purpose. 

A  dark  room  for  photographic  purposes  will  be 
found  a  desirable  feature  of  a  Y.  M.  C.  A.  building 
for  amateur  work,  even  though  photography  is  not 
one  of  the  studies  taught  in  the  courses,  and  the 
dark  room  should  be  fully  equipped  with  sinks  sup- 
plied with  running  water. 


182 


CHAPTER  XIV 


COURTHOUSES 


PLANNING    PLUMBING    FOR 
COURT    HOUSES 

N  CONSIDERING  the  plumbing  for 
court  houses,  a  type  of  building  is  se- 
lected similar  to  the  thousands  which 
will  be  required  in  the  numerous  coun- 
ties of  the  various  States  which  have 
their  county  seats  in  cities  of  moderate  size. 

Buildings  of  this  kind  are  used,  not  only  for 
court  proceedings,  but  likewise,  in  many  cases,  as 
places  of  public  assemblage,  where  political 
speeches,  concerts,  lectures  and  other  entertain- 
ments are  held.  To  accommodate  such  meetings, 
a  large  assembly  room,  with  a  raised  platform  to 
serve  as  a  stage,  is  generally  provided,  and  a  couple 
of  retiring  rooms,  one  on  each  side  of  the  platform, 
which  may  be  used  as  dressing  rooms,  will  be  found 
desirable.  In  each  of  these  retiring  rooms  a  lava- 
tory should  be  installed  for  the  benefit  of  those 
taking  part  in  entertainments  and  requiring  the 
use  of  a  dressing  room. 

183 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

On  court  days,  as  well  as  on  other  occasions, 
a  great  many  people  resort  to  the  court  house  and 
a  general  toilet  room  should  be  provided  for  their 
use.  In  addition  to  the  general  toilet  room,  semi- 
private  toilet  accommodations  should  be  provided 
on  each  floor  of  the  building  for  the  use  of  clerks 
and  other  employees,  while  the  judges'  rooms  and 
jury  rooms  should  each  have  a  private  toilet  com- 
partment communicating  with  it  for  the  exclusive 
use  of  the  occupants  of  that  room. 

Throughout  the  building,  on  the  various  floors, 
will  be  located  the  various  offices  of  the  county  of- 
ficials, and  these  parts  of  the  building  partake  of 
the  nature  of  an  office  building  to  such  an  extent 
that  a  lavatory  should  be  provided  in  each  single 
office  room  or  suite  of  rooms. 

No  building  of  this  character  would  be  com- 
plete without  drinking  fountains  being  provided  on 
the  several  floors,  and  the  drinking  fountains 
should  be  supplied  only  with  sterile  drinking  water 
which  has  been  well  filtered  on  the  premises,  un- 
less the  public  water  supply  has  already  been  fil- 
tered and  is  otherwise  wholesome.  The  drinking 
water  may  likewise  be  cooled  by  passing  through  a 
coil  located  in  an  ice  box. 

Fire  lines  should  be  liberally  provided  in  all 
kinds  of  public  buildings  where  people  assemble  in 
large  numbers,  and  numerous  lengths  of  hose 
should  be  disposed  at  convenient  points  so  as  to  be 
readily  accessible  in  case  of  fire.  In  order  that 
there  will  be  an  adequate  and  uninterrupted  supply 
of  water  in  case  of  fire,  the  water-supply  should  be 

184 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


185 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

well  proportioned  and  a  large  main  extended  into 
the  building  from  the  street. 

Slop  sinks  will  be  found  indispensable  in  a  court 
house,  and  one  should  be  provided  on  each  floor  of 
the  building.  They  may  well  be  located  in  a  closet 
set  aside  for  the  janitor. 

In  some  court  houses,  such,  for  instance,  as  are 
quite  a  distance  from  the  police  station  or  jail,  it 
might  be  found  advisable  to  construct  a  cell  or  room 
for  the  safe  keeping  of  prisoners  when  not  attend- 
ing court.  When  such  is  the  case  the  cell  should 
be  provided  with  a  water  closet  and  lavatory  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  prisoners. 

Hot-water  supply  will  be  found  desirable  in  a 
court  house,  the  same  as  in  other  kinds  of  office 
buildings,  so  a  heater  and  tank  should  be  provided 
for  this  purpose. 

The  plumbing  layout  for  the  basement  floor  of 
a  court  house  is  shown  in  Fig.  96.  In  this  installa- 
tion the  rain  water  could  not  be  discharged  into  the 
sewers,  so  it  is  conducted  through  separate  rain- 
water systems  to  the  curb,  where  it  discharges  into 
the  street  gutter. 

On  this  floor  is  located  an  assembly  room,  with 
two  retiring  or  dressing  rooms,  in  each  of  which  is 
a  lavatory.  Besides  these  lavatories  there  are  in 
different  parts  of  the  basement  two  general  toilet 
rooms — one  for  men  and  the  other  for  women— a 
drinking  fountain,  a  slop  sink,  fire  lines,  hot,  cold 
and  circulation  pipes,  water  heater,  hot- water  tank, 
filters  and  water  cooler. 

A  plan  of  the  first  floor  of  the  building  is  shown 
in  Fig.  97.  This  floor  contains  besides  the  two  toilet 

186 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


187 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

rooms,  one  for  men  and  one  for  women,  a  janitor's 
closet  containing  a  slop  sink,  a  drinking  fountain, 
lavatories  scattered  throughout  the  various  offices 
and  stand  pipes  or  fire  lines  with  hose  reels  and 
hose. 

It  might  be  well  to  point  out  that  the  plans  for 
a  court  house  shown  in  this  work  are  not  the  archi- 
tectural plans  of  the  building,  but  only  the  plumb- 
ing plans  to  be  used  in  connection  with  the  archi- 
tectural plans,  from  which  the  outlines  of  the 
plumbing  plans  were  traced.  The  original  plans 
are  much  fuller  and  more  complete  in  detail  as  well 
as  in  measurements,  all  of  which  were  omitted  from 
the  plumbing  plan  as  having  no  bearing  on  the 
matter. 

In  Fig.  98  is  shown  a  plan  of  the  second  floor 
of  the  building;  it  will  be  observed  that  the  judges' 
rooms,  adjoining  the  court  rooms,  are  each  pro- 
vided with  a  private  toilet  room,  and  each  lavatory 
is  supplied  not  only  with  hot  and  cold  water  but 
likewise  with  cooled  drinking  water.  Outside  of 
the  judges'  toilet  rooms  there  are  no  plumbing  fix- 
tures on  this  floor  except  the  drinking  fountain  and 
two  general  toilet  rooms.  It  will  be  observed,  how- 
ever, that  in  the  women's  toilet  compartment  there 
is  a  closet  compartment  containing  the  slop  sink 
for  this  floor,  there  being  no  other  convenient  place 
to  locate  it.  The  fire  lines  extend  to  this  floor  and 
are  provided  with  hose  reels  and  hose,  and  outlets 
have  been  left  in  the  various  office  rooms  through 
which  stacks  pass  for  the  future  connection  of  lava- 
tories. 

188 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


o 

o 
o 

o 


o 
o 
o 


8 
Si 

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Ji 


11  r 


189 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

The  third  floor  of  the  building  is  a  duplicate  of 
the  second  floor,  so  far  as  the  plumbing  work  is  con- 
cerned, for  which  reason  it  is  omitted  from  this  work. 

This  completes,  so  far  as  the  architectural  re- 
quirements in  the  way  of  plumbing  are  concerned, 
the  floor  plans  for  a  court-house  building.  A  plumb- 
ing plan  would  not  be  complete,  however,  without 
details  of  the  various  parts  and  groups  of  fixtures. 
Space  will  not  permit  showing  them  all,  but  one 
sheet  of  details,  which  will  indicate  the  require- 
ments along  this  line,  is  illustrated  in  Fig.  99. 

This  sheet  of  details,  at  the  extreme  left,  shows 
the  way  the  main  toilet  room  stack  is  to  be  run. 
It  will  be  well  to  compare  this  detail  with  the  one 
shown  in  Fig.  69,  which  shows  the  detail  of  a  soil 
and  vent  stack  in  a  hotel  building.  In  the  detail 
Fig.  69,  it  will  be  noticed  that  nothing  but  the  bare 
stacks  are  shown.  That  was  because  on  account  of 
there  being  two  bath  rooms,  one  on  each  side  of 
the  stacks,  it  was  found  much  simpler  and  clearer 
to  show  the  stacks  only  in  one  detail,  and  the  plan 
and  elevation  of  the  roughing-in  for  the  bath  rooms 
in  two  separate  details,  Figs.  70  and  71.  In  the 
present  example,  on  the  other  hand,  the  work  was 
of  such  a  nature  -that  one  detail  served  for  both 
the  vertical  stacks  and  horizontal  branches,  and 
shows  them  in  their  proper  relation  to  each  other. 
When  this  method  can  be  followed  it  is  the  better 
one  to  adopt,  but  the  entire  layout  cannot  always 
be  shown  in  one  detail.  When  such  is  the  case,  the 
designer  should  make  as  many  drawings  as  are 
necessary  to  show  fully  how  the  work  is  to  be  done, 
for  that  really  is  the  object  of  plans  and  details. 

190 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Delo/7  of  dot/  Stac/f  arid  0roncftes 
for  Woniens  Toilet  Ffcoms 


lavatories   in  Wcmt/ts  Tci/efz   in 
'  and  Xs*  Floor. 

nfain  required  only  in  Bosement 


:SiJecf71tfmo-6>r 


Fig.  99 
Plumbing  Details  for  Courthouse 


191 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

In  the  present  example,  all  the  work  could  not  be 
shown  on  the  one  detail,  for  there  were  fixtures  to 
to  be  provided  for  outside  of  those  shown  in  the 
groups.  In  order  to  show  how  the  pipe  for  those 
other  fixtures  was  to  run,  it  was  necessary  to  make 
the  three  additional  details  shown  in  the  center  of 
the  sheet.  The  plan  view  shows  the  run  of  pipe 
to  the  closets,  the  slop  sink  and  lavatories,  and  the 
outlet  in  the  stacks  for  the  drinking  fountains  in 
the  corridors.  The  second  detail  shows  the  eleva- 
tion of  waste  and  vent  pipes  for  the  slop  sink  and 
lavatories  on  the  second  and  third  floors,  while  the 
bottom  detail  shows  how  the  waste  and  vent  pipes 
are  to  be  run  to  the  lavatories  on  the  first  floor. 
As  these  details  are  all  drawn  to  scale,  the  estimator 
can  take  his  quantities  direct  from  them,  while 
the  plumber  when  installing  the  work  will  save  a 
great  deal  of  time  by  not  having  to  study  out  how 
the  pipes  are  to  be  run  and  where  located.  Doubt 
and  uncertainty  take  up  as  much  of  the  plumbers' 
time  on  complicated  work  as  does  the  actual  time 
of  installing  the  pipe;  for,  it  must  be  remembered, 
it  is  the  function  of  the  workman  to  do  work  as 
planned,  not  to  plan  the  work,  and  when  the  de- 
signer has  failed  the  plumber  must  not  be  blamed 
for  requiring  time. 

Another  feature  of  the  details  that  may  well 
be  observed,  is  the  sizes  of  pipes,  both  water  and 
drainage,  where  they  are  shown.  That  is  the  real 
object  of  plumbing  plans.  To  show  fully  and  com- 
pletely by  numerous  drawings  just  how  the  various 
pipes  are  to  be  run,  and  to  show  likewise  the  exact 
size  of  each  piece  of  pipe. 

192 


CHAPTER  XV 


PLANNING   THE   PLUMBING 
FOR   HOTEL   BUILDINGS 


N  PLANNING  the  plumbing  for  a  large 
hotel,  certain  conditions  must  be  con- 
sidered, many  of  which  are  common  to 
all  types  of  semi -public  buildings  in 
which  many  people  are  housed  and  fed 
under  one  management. 

In  buildings  where  many  people  are  fed,  ample 
provision  must  be  made  for  cooking  the  meals,  and 
this  necessitates  large  and  numerous  sinks,  supplied 
with  hot  and  cold  water,  located  in  the  kitchen, 
bakery  and  scullery  rooms.  In  the  bakery,  in  ad- 
dition to  hot  and  cold  water,  ice  water  must  be  pro- 
vided for  use  in  mixing  pastry,  and  in  the  scullery 
room  separate  sinks  should  be  provided  for  the 
preparation  of  vegetables,  and  at  which  the  table 
dishes  and  cooking-utensils  are  to  be  washed. 

Large  quantities  of  grease,  accumulated  in  the 
preparation  of  foods  and  washing  of  dishes,  are 
emptied  into  hotel  sinks,  and  to  prevent  the  grease 
from  obstructing  the  house  drains  provision  should 
be  made  to  intercept  it  before  it  reaches  the  drains. 

193 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

A  large  number  of  employees,  both  male  and 
female,  are  required  in  the  preparation  and  serving 
of  meals,  washing  of  dishes  and  laundering  of 
linen,  and  toilet  accommodations  must  be  provided 
for  their  use.  Further,  floor  drains  should  be  pro- 
vided in  all  of  the  workrooms  and  in  the  connect- 
ing corridors,  to  facilitate  the  cleaning  of  floors, 
unavoidably  soiled  by  so  large  a  force  of  help. 

Butler  pantry  sinks  should  be  provided  in 
serving- rooms  adjoining  dining-rooms,  and  a  bar 
and  back  bar  in  the  cafe,  fitted  up  complete  with 
hot  and  cold  water,  ice  water  and  waste  connec- 
tions. 

As  the  guests  of  a  hotel  are  to  be  lodged  as  well 
as  fed,  facilities  must  be  provided  for  washing  and 
bathing  of  the  guests.  The  number  and  quality  of 
the  bath  rooms  usually  depend  upon  the  class  of  the 
hotel.  In  the  best  class  of  hostelries  a  separate 
bath  room  containing  lavatory,  water  closet,  bath 
tub  or  shower,  and  sometimes  bath  tub  and  shower, 
is  provided  in  connection  with  each  room  or  suite 
of  rooms,  while  in  the  cheaper  hotels  bath  rooms 
are  provided  only  in  connection  with  certain  of  the 
more  expensive  suites  and  the  toilet  accommoda- 
tions on  each  floor  are  for  the  common  use  of  all  the 
guests.  In  rooms  which  are  not  connected  with 
bath  rooms,  lavatories  with  hot  and  cold  water  are 
provided  in  all  the  better  class  of  hotels. 

To  care  for  the  comfort  of  the  guests  and  keep 
the  rooms  and  corridors  clean,  a  number  of  ser- 
vants are  necessary,  and  bathing  and  toilet  facili- 
ties must  be  provided  for  them  on  the  dormitory 
floor  of  the  building.  Also,  slop  sinks  should  be 

194 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


FIRST  FLOOR  PLAN    HOTEL  LE  RAY   WATERTOWN,N.Y.  D.l2Hiefc  Jri'l 

Fig.  100 
First  Floor  Plan  of  Hotel 


195 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

provided  on  each  floor  of  the  hotel  to  facilitate  the 
work  of  cleaning  the  rooms  on  the  several  floors. 

A  laundry  is  indispensable  in  a  first-class  hotel, 
and  besides  the  usual  machine  washers,  a  battery 
of  stationary  tubs  should  be  fitted  up  in  every  com- 
plete laundry. 

There  are  certain  provisions  of  a  semi-public 
nature  that  must  be  made  in  a  hotel,  which  are  un- 
necessary in  most  other  types  of  buildings.  A  large 
toilet  room  for  the  accommodation  of  guests  and 
patrons  of  the  hotel  is  a  necessity,  and  a  barber 
shop  is  almost  indispensable.  Hotel  barber  shops 
are  sometimes  fitted  up  with  bath  rooms,  while  in 
more  pretentious  hostelries  Turkish  and  Russian 
bath  parlors  are  provided. 

Drinking-fountains  should  be  fitted  up  in  the 
lobby  of  the  hotels,  and  all  water  used  throughout 
the  entire  establishment  should  be  sterilized  by  fil- 
tration. 

In  tall  hotel  buildings,  in  which  it  is  necessary 
to  supply  the  building  with  water  from  a  house 
tank,  two  pumps  should  be  provided,  so  in  case  one 
pump  breaks  down  the  other  can  be  used  to  fill  the 
tank  while  the  broken  one  is  being  repaired. 

In  extremely  tall  buildings,  twenty  or  more 
stories  in  height,  a  house  tank  should  be  provided 
for  each  ten  stories,  so  as  to  avoid  the  excessive 
pressure  on  the  lower  floors  that  would  result  from 
the  use  of  but  one  house  tank  located  on  the  roof 
of  the  building.  Instead  of  providing  tanks  at  dif- 
ferent elevations,  pressure-reducing  valves  can  be 
used  in  their  stead.  It  must  be  born  in  mind,  how- 
ever, that  a  pressure-reducing  valve  only  relieves 

196 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


SECOND  FLOOR  PLAN  HOTEL  LE  RAY   WATERTOWN,N.Y.  DJXHi'eff, 


Fig.  101 
Second  Floor  Plan  of  Hotel 


197 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

the  system  of  pressure  when  all  the  faucets  on  the 
low-pressure  side  are  closed;  when  a  faucet  is 
opened  the  water  will  flow  with  a  pressure  due  to 
the  head  or  water  measuring  from  the  tank.  If 
the  building  is  very  high  and  pressure-reducing 
valves  are  used  there  will  be  more  splashing  when 
water  is  being  drawn  than  when  tanks  at  different 
elevations  are  provided. 

A  further  condition  to  be  considered  is  capacity 
for  storage  for  at  least  one  day's  supply  of  water. 
This  provision  is  to  guard  against  a  water  famine 
caused  by  shutting  off  the  water  from  the  street 
mains  for  repairs  or  for  other  causes. 

When  storage  of  the  entire  daily  supply  of 
water  on  the  roof  would  cause  a  greater  weight 
than  should  be  permitted,  or  would  require  more 
roof  space  than  is  available,  part  of  the  water  can 
be  stored  in  suction  tanks  located  in  the  basement 
or  cellar. 

A  feature  which  is  generally  overlooked  in 
planning  the  water  supply  for  hotel  buildings  is 
the  advisability  of  providing  a  supply  of  ice-cold 
drinking  water  to  every  guest  room.  In  view  of 
the  fact  that  hotels  are  always  provided  with  a 
mechanical  refrigeration  system  the  providing  of  a 
supply  of  ice-cold  water  becomes  very  simple  and 
economical,  and  a  continuous  circulation  can  be 
maintained  throughout  the  ice- water  system  by 
means  of  a  small  rotary  pump.  The  water  should 
first  be  filtered,  then  cooled,  after  which  it  may  be 
circulated  through  the  distributing  mains  to  the 
various  ice-water  faucets,  then  back  again  to  the 
cooling  coils. 

198 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


™&5TT  FLOOR  PLAN  HOTEL  LE  RAY   WATERTOWN,N.Y.  DJWitf, '  AnM 

Ffe.  102 

Upper  Flocr  Plan  of  Hotel 


199 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

In  proportioning  the  hot  water  and  cold  water 
supply  for  the  building,  the  size  of  pipes  should  be 
carefully  calculated,  to  guard  against  the  annoy- 
ance experienced  in  many  first-class  hotels  of  the 
faucets  on  the  lower  floors  of  the  building  robbing 
those  on  the  higher  floors. 

Another  consideration  which  should  be  kept  in 
mind  in  limestone  regions  is  the  fact  that  hard 
water  is  very  objectionable  for  washing  and  bath- 
ing, and  that  the  entire  water  supply  for  a  build- 
ing can  be  softened,  at  no  cost  to  the  management 
when  the  saving  of  fuel  effected  by  the  use  of  soft 
water  is  considered  and  to  that  is  added  the  saving 
of  soap,  labor  and  scouring  preparations.  The 
softening  of  water  in  a  large  establishment  will  be 
found  to  more  than  pay  for  the  process,  besides  giv- 
ing the  guests  the  additional  comfort  and  con- 
venience of  an  improved  water.  Not  only  hotels 
but  hospitals,  sanitariums,  asylums  and  like  insti- 
tutions can  have  the  water  supply  softened  with 
profit  to  the  management  and  pleasure  to  the  in- 
mates. 

Fire  lines  will  be  found  desirable  in  hotel  build- 
ings, whether  fireproof  or  combustible,  and  should 
be  part  of  every  well-equipped  hotel  water-supply 
system.  In  country,  seashore  or  other  suburban 
hotels,  in  addition  to  the  fire  lines  within  the  build- 
ing, there  should  be  fire  hydrants  on  the  grounds 
outside,  so  that  flames  can  be  fought  from  without 
when  the  interior  is  inaccessible.  In  seashore  re- 
sorts the  question  of  salt-water  baths  is  one  that 
will  have  to  be  considered,  and  at  other  country 
and  summer  or  winter  hotels,  water  supply  and 

200 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


£  3TRCE.T 
A.  Goenner,  Architect 


HOTEL    DRISGOLL 


Fig.  1C3 
Novel  Floor  Plan  of  Hotel  BuUding 

201 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

sewage  purification  will  be  among  the  plumbing 
features  which  will  require  consideration. 

An  objectionable  practice  commonly  followed 
in  hotel  design,  but  which  should  be  changed  for  a 
more  satisfactory  method,  is  the  installing  of  self- 
closing  basin  cocks  at  the  lavatories.  Very  few 
patrons  of  a  hotel  care  to  wash  in  a  basin  which 
has  been  used  by  thousands  before  them,  particu- 
larly when  their  preference  under  all  conditions  is 
to  wash  in  running  water;  but,  even  in  the  very 
best  hotels,  they  are  confronted  with  a  type  of 
basin  cock  which  makes  any  alternative  but  to  wash 
in  the  basin  almost  impossible. 

Another  point  which  should  be  considered  is 
the  placing  of  combination  cocks  at  lavatories. 
Usually  the  hot  water  in  hotels  is  so  extremely  hot 
that  it  cannot  be  used  without  tempering  it  with 
cold  water,  and  this  cannot  be  done  when  washing 
at  an  open  faucet  unless  a  combination  cock  is 
used. 

EXAMPLE   OF   A   HOTEL 
BUILDING 

The  first  floor  plan  of  a  small  hotel  building  is 
shown  in  Fig.  100.  It  will  be  noted  that  two  stores 
are  included  in  the  first  floor  plan  and  are  part  of 
the  building,  so  that  they  will  have  to  be  considered 
when  laying  out  the  plumbing  work.  Every  store 
building  should  have  a  toilet  room  containing  a 
water  closet  and  lavatory  and,  outside  of  the  toilet 
room,  a  sink  will  be  found  convenient. 

202 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

The  public  or  general  toilet  room  for  the  hotel 
is  located  in  the  basement  of  the  building  and  is 
not  shown  in  the  illustrations  here  reproduced.  A 
small  toilet  room  is  likewise  provided  on  the  first 
floor,  adjoining  and  accessible  from  the  barroom. 
The  barroom  is  fitted  up  complete  with  all  neces- 
sary waste  and  supply  connections,  and  a  drinking- 
fountain  may  well  be  located  in  the  lobby.  In 
hotels  where  ice-water  is  supplied  through  pipes  to 
the  drinking -fountain  and  the  various  rooms  a 
branch  may  be  run  likewise  to  the  bar. 

In  Fig.  101  is  shown  the  second  floor  of  the 
building.  On  this  floor  are  located  the  kitchen, 
serving  room,  pantry  and  main  dining  room,  which 
necessitates  the  installation  of  considerable  plumb- 
ing work.  In  addition  to  the  usual  kitchen,  pantry 
and  serving-room  fixtures  there  is  a  toilet  room  for 
servants  on  this  floor,  accessible  only  from  a  pass- 
ageway. 

Each  sleeping  room  on  the  second  floor  has  a 
stationary  lavatory  supplied  with  hot  and  cold 
water.  In  addition  each  room,  with  the  exception 
of  one,  adjoins  a  bath  room,  so  that  the  rooms  can 
be  let  either  with  or  without  bath.  Besides  the 
liberal  provision  made  for  washing  and  bathing  on 
this  floor  there  is  a  general  bath  room,  accessible 
from  the  hall,  for  the  benefit  of  the  guests  who 
have  no  private  bath  rooms. 

On  account  of  lavatories  having  been  provided 
in  all  the  sleeping  rooms  they  have  been  omitted 
from  the  bath  rooms,  which  contain  only  a  water 
closet  and  a  bath  tub.  Notwithstanding  that  fact, 

203 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

this  floor  of  the  building  is  well  supplied  with 
plumbing  fixtures. 

The  third,  fourth  and  fifth  floors  of  the  build- 
ing, shown  in  Fig.  102,  are  given  over  entirely  to 
sleeping  rooms.  Here,  as  on  the  floor  below,  sta- 
tionary lavatories  with  hot  and  cold  water  are  pro- 
vided in  each  of  the  sleeping  rooms,  and,  in  addi- 
tion, one-half  the  sleeping  rooms  are  adjoining 
bath  rooms,  with  which  they  may  be  let.  In  the 
same  location  as  on  the  second  floor  a  general  bath 
room  is  provided  on  each  of  the  three  upper  floors 
for  the  convenience  of  the  guests  having  no  bath 
rooms. 

The  floor  plan  of  a  small  hotel  building,  which 
provides  in  a  very  unique  and  satisfactory  way  for 
the  toilet  accommodations  of  the  guests,  is  shown 
in  Fig.  103.  In  this  building  there  is  a  separate 
bath  room  for  each  three  rooms,  which  may  be  let 
en  suite,  or  separately,  the  bath  room  communi- 
cating directly  with  a  private  hall  and  being  equally 
accessible  from  all  rooms.  Such  an  arrangement 
would  prove  eminently  satisfactory  for  the  numer- 
ous hotels  in  the  various  smaller  cities  throughout 
the  country,  a  semi-private  bath  room  being  much 
more  inviting  than  a  public  one.  Of  course,  in  a 
case  of  this  kind,  it  would  be  advisable  to  have 
separate  lavatories  in  each  of  the  sleeping  rooms, 
the  same  as  in  other  hotel  and  club  buildings. 


204 


CHAPTER  XVI 


CLUB   BUILDINGS 


PLANNING   THE    PLUMBING    FOR 
CLUB    BUILDINGS 

OUNTRY  CLUBS.— Club  buildings 
are  peculiar  unto  themselves,  inasmuch 
as  they  may  partake  of  the  features  or 
functions  of  several  different  classes  of 
buildings,  each  case  depending  entirely 
on  what  interest  in  common  brought  the  members 
together  and  made  possible  the  building  of  a  club. 
For  instance,  there  are  country  clubs,  city  clubs, 
athletic  clubs;  and  the  plumbing  installations  in 
these  three  classes  of  buildings  will  differ  from  one 
another,  at  the  same  time  having  some  features  in 
common. 

Country  clubs  are  usually  intended  as  places  to 
spend  the  day,  but  seldom  are  they  designed  with 
the  view  of  accommodating  members  over  night. 
On  this  account  there  are  no  sleeping  rooms  or  bath 
rooms  outside  of  those  required  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  the  employees  of  the  club.  Meals  are  al- 
ways served  at  country-club  buildings,  so  that  a 
fully  equipped  kitchen  and  a  well-appointed  laun- 

205 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

dry  are  necessary  for  the  proper  fulfilment  of  this 
function.  Toilet  accommodations  must  be  provided 
for  the  members,  and  as  women  are  usually  wel- 
come when  accompanied  by  male  escorts,  separate 
toilet  accommodations  must  be  provided  for  the 
women  guests  of  the  club.  Golf,  tennis,  bowling 
and  other  games  are  usually  features  of  outdoor 
life,  and  in  order  to  remove  the  grime  and  per- 
spiration resulting  from  such  pursuits  refreshing 
shower  baths  should  be  provided.  For  the  accom- 
modation of  the  women  guests,  separate  showers 
should  likewise  be  provided,  as  well  as  a  bath  tub 
for  those  who  object  to  the  shower  or  would  pre- 
fer a  tubbing. 

In  cases  where  country  clubs  are  built  remote 
from  a  city,  and  accommodations  are  provided  for 
lodging  the  members,  bathing  facilities  ought  to  be 
provided  in  connection  with  each  room,  the  same 
as  in  first-class  hotel  buildings. 

Country  clubs  are  generally  situated  remote 
from  public  sewers  and  water  supplies,  so  that 
means  must  be  provided  to  secure  a  plentiful  and 
wholesome  supply  of  water  and  dispose  of  the  re- 
sulting sewage. 

City  Clubs.— City  clubs— that  is,  the  various 
social  clubs  established  in  cities — partake  very 
closely  of  the  nature  of  hotel  buildings,  in  which 
members  of  the  club,  only,  are  extended  the  privi- 
leges of  the  house.  Indeed,  a  fully  equipped  city 
club  could  easily  be  converted  into  a  hotel  by 
changing  some  of  the  private  dining  rooms  into 
sleeping  apartments. 

206 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

A  well-appointed  club  building  has  toilet  rooms 
on  the  various  public  floors,  the  same  as  in  hotel 
buildings.  It  must  have  a  fully  equipped  kitchen, 
a  well-equipped  laundry,  toilet  accommodations  for 
the  servants,  barber  shop,  and  bath  rooms  adjoining 
the  sleeping  rooms  on  dormitory  floors.  Here  the 
necessity  for  bath  rooms  in  connection  with  sleep- 
ing rooms  is  almost  imperative.  Members  who  can 
afford  to  live  at  a  first-class  club  can  well  afford 
the  extra  cost  of  a  bath  room,  and  as  the  club  is 
the  member's  home  his  own  private  apartment  ab- 
solutely needs  a  toilet  room. 

In  addition  to  the  other  sanitary  features  of  a 
club  building  a  Turkish  bath  will  always  prove  de- 
sirable to  the  members,  besides  being  a  source  of 
revenue  to  the  management. 

EXAMPLE   OF   A   CLUB 
BUILDING 

The  first-floor  plan  for  a  city-club  building  is 
shown  in  Fig.  104.  There  is  but  little  plumbing 
work  required  on  this  floor;  a  main  toilet  room,  the 
work  necessary  to  fit  up  a  bar  in  the  barroom  and, 
possibly,  a  drinking -fountain  are  all  that  will 
usually  be  required.  In  case  there  are  bowling 
alleys  in  the  basement  shower  baths  might  likewise 
be  located  adjoining  a  dressing  room  on  this  floor, 
although  they  may  equally  well  be  placed  on  the 
floor  below,  convenient  to  the  alleys,  so  that  mem- 
bers can  have  a  shower  after  playing. 

The  second-floor  plan  of  the  building  is  shown 
in  Fig.  105.  A  good  provision  in  a  building  of  this 

207 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


208 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


209 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

kind  is  to  fit  up  a  toilet  room  for  women  on  this 
floor  in  addition  to  the  one  for  men.  This  is  not 
necessary  if  women  are  always  to  be  excluded  from 
the  building,  but  there  are  but  few  clubs  in  which 
there  are  not  occasional  ladies'  days,  when  the 
doors  are  thrown  open  to  the  wives,  daughters  and 
acquaintances  of  the  members,  and  some  provision 
should  be  made  for  such  occasions. 

If  the  dining-rooms  are  to  be  situated  on  this 
floor  a  kitchen  sink  with  drip  board  will  be  found 
very  convenient  in  the  serving-room.  Slop  sinks 
will  likewise  be  found  serviceable  on  all  floors  of 
the  building. 

In  Fig.  106  is  shown  the  third  floor  of  the 
building.  On  account  of  the  kitchen  being  located 
on  this  floor  the  plumbing  work  here  amounts  to  a 
considerable  item.  In  addition  to  the  plumbing 
work  required  in  a  fully  equipped  kitchen  of  this 
character  there  is  a  general  toilet  room  on  this  floor 
and  a  servants'  room  for  the  use  of  the  help. 

The  dormitory  floors  of  the  building  are  shown 
in  Fig.  107,  which  illustrates  the  fourth  and  fifth- 
floor  plans  of  the  building.  On  these  two  floors 
are  installed  the  greatest  number  of  plumbing  fix- 
tures in  the  building. 

Each  sleeping  room,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  il- 
lustration, has  a  bath  room  adjoining.  In  addition 
to  the  usual  hot  and  cold  water,  ice  water  may  be 
served  here  through  pipes,  the  same  as  in  hotel 
buildings,  and  besides  the  regular  plumbing  in- 
stallation fire  lines  will  be  found  advisable  in  club 
buildings. 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


211 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

Athletic  Clubs.— Athletic  clubs  differ  but  little 
from  the  usual  city  club,  outside  of  those  parts  of 
the  building  set  aside  for  athletics.  A  large  swim- 
ming pool  is  part  of  every  well-equipped  athletic 
club,  and  showers  must  be  provided  near  by  for  the 
members  to  wash  in  before  entering  the  pool.  The 
pool  will  usually  be  located  in  the  basement,  and 
here,  likewise,  will  be  found  the  Turkish  bath 
rooms. 

On  the  second  or  some  upper  floor  of  the  build- 
ing will  be  located  the  gymnasium,  boxing,  wrestling 
and  fencing  rooms,  and  convenient  to  them  should 
be  the  dressing  rooms,  with  lockers,  and  the  shower 
room  adjoining  the  dressing  room.  Smokers,  at 
which  vaudeville  entertainments  are  given,  are 
usually  a  feature  of  athletic  clubs,  and  a  couple  of 
dressing  rooms  near  the  stage  in  the  gymnasium 
will  be  found  necessary.  In  these  rooms  there 
should  be  lavatories,  and  if  no  other  provision  is 
made  in  the  building  for  women,  a  water  closet 
should  be  provided  adjoining  one  of  the  dressing 
rooms  for  the  use  of  women  performers. 

The  athletic  club  resembles  in  many  of  its  fea- 
tures a  Y.  M.  C.  A.  building,  yet  there  are  so  many 
differences  that  it  resembles  more  a  composite  of  a 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  building  and  an  ordinary  city  club. 

In  none  of  the  buildings  mentioned  so  far  has 
the  matter  of  rain  leaders,  yard  and  area  drains 
been  mentioned,  although,  of  course,  in  all  build- 
ings provision  must  be  made  for  conducting  away 
the  rain  water  so  it  will  not  create  a  nuisance, 
while  yards  and  areas  which  are  paved  must  have 
some  provision  made  for  drainage. 

212 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


O 


213 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

In  cities  where  separate  systems  of  sewers  are 
provided,  one  for  storm  water  and  the  other  for 
sewage,  two  systems  of  drainage  will  be  required 
in  buildings;  one  for  the  rain  water  and  the  other 
for  sewage.  On  the  other  hand,  where  the  com- 
bined system  of  sewers  is  in  use,  the  storm  water 
from  rain  leaders,  yard  and  area  drains  can  dis- 
charge freely  with  the  house  drain. 

Whether  the  combined  or  separate  system  of 
sewers  is  used,  rain  leaders  will  be  required,  and, 
generally  speaking,  it  will  be  better  in  cold  climates 
to  locate  them  inside  of  the  building,  where  they 
will  be  protected  from  the  frost,  and  be  less  liable 
to  freeze  up  and  burst.  When  located  inside,  how- 
ever, to  allow  for  the  constant  expansion  and  con- 
traction of  the  pipes  due  to  changes  of  tempera- 
ture, each  leader  should  be  connected  to  the  roof 
gutter  by  means  of  a  short  piece  of  lead  pipe  hav- 
ing circumferential  corrugations  to  allow  the  ex- 
pansion and  contraction  without  injury  to  the 
leader  or  roofing. 


214 


CHAPTER  XVII 


CHURCHES 


PLANNING   THE    PLUMBING 
FOR   CHURCHES 

HE  sanitation  of  churches  is  usually 
neglected.  Perhaps  on  account  of  the 
limited  use  to  which  this  class  of  build- 
ing is  put  it  has  been  deemed  unneces- 
sary, up  to  the  present  time,  for  any 
special  provision  to  be  made  for  the  comfort  and 
convenience  of  the  congregation.  There  is  no  rea- 
son, however,  why  churches  should  be  treated  any 
differently  in  this  respect  than  any  other  building 
where  a  large  number  of  people  congregate  for  a 
short  period  of  time.  Where  such  conditions  ob- 
tain there  should  be  a  retiring  room  for  women, 
with  toilet  accommodations  adjoining,  and  a  suit- 
able toilet  room  should  likewise  be  provided  for 
the  men. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  church  services,  Sun- 
day school,  lectures  and  other  church  functions  sel- 
dom last  over  an  hour,  as  liberal  toilet  accommoda- 
tions are  not  necessary  as  would  be  required  for  a 
school  building,  factory  or  any  place  where  the 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

meetings  last  longer.  Perhaps,  everything  con- 
sidered, an  allowance  of  one  water  closet  for  each 
seventy-five  women,  or  fraction  of  that  number,  in 
the  congregation,  and  a  like  allowance  of  one 
urinal  and  one  water  closet  for  every  hundred 
men,  or  fraction  of  that  number,  in  the  congrega- 
tion, would  prove  sufficient.  At  all  events,  this 
feature  of  church  sanitation  has  been  too  long 
neglected,  and  later  designs  should  not  be  found 
lacking  in  this  respect.  Of  course,  each  toilet  room 
would  be  provided  with  a  lavatory,  as  is  customary 
in  all  toilet  rooms. 

In  addition  to  the  general  toilet  rooms  there 
should  be  a  private  toilet  room  for  the  officiating 
clergyman  or  priest,  suitably  located  adjoining  his 
private  room. 

The  foregoing  requirements  are  common  to 
churches  of  all  denominations.  There  are  other 
requirements,  however,  which  are  peculiar  to  cer- 
tain churches,  while  still  others  are  matters  of  con- 
venience, which  may  be  included  in  or  omitted  from 
churches  of  any  denomination. 

In  Baptist  churches,  for  instance,  or  other 
churches  where  immersion  is  practiced,  a  tank  for 
baptizing  is  an  important  part  of  the  plumbing  in- 
stallation. In  such  churches  the  tank  may  be  built 
under  the  rostrum  and  slides  placed  in  front  so  that 
they  can  be  removed  during  the  ritual  of  immer- 
sion to  enable  the  congregation  to  witness  the  cere- 
mony. Tanks  for  this  purpose  are  usually  of  large 
dimensions,  8  to  10  feet  long,  5  to  7  feet  wide,  with 
steps  at  one  end  leading  down  to  the  bottom.  The 
tank  may  be  made  of  wood  lined  with  sheet  lead, 

216 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

as  is  the  more  common  practice,  or  it  may  be  made 
of  cement,  concrete  or  bricks,  and  lined  with  glazed 
tile.  In  either  case  provision  must  be  made  for 
heating  the  water  to  take  off  the  chill  when  in  use 
so  the  people  who  are  baptized  will  not  suffer  too 
severe  a  shock  from  the  cold  water  or  run  the  risk 
of  becoming  chilled  and  contracting  a  cold.  A 
dressing  room,  fitted  with  a  lavatary,  will  be  found 
desirable,  if  not  actually  necessary,  for  the  dis- 
robing and  robing  of  those  who  are  to  be  im- 
mersed. 

In  churches  of  many  denominations  sociables 
and  suppers  given  for  charity  are  matters  of  such 
common  occurrence  that  in  designing  such  a  build- 
ing those  entertainment  functions  should  be  taken 
into  account  and  a  suitable  kitchen  provided  with 
sinks,  range  and  hot  and  cold  filtered  water. 

In  some  churches  water  motors  are  used  for 
pumping  the  organ,  and  when  such  is  the  case  suit- 
able outlets,  both  in  the  drainage  system  and  in  the 
water  supply  pipes,  should  be  provided. 

Drinking  fountains  would  not  be  amiss  in 
church  buildings  and  they  may  be  located  in  some 
sheltered  nook  in  the  outer  nave,  in  which  case  one 
would  be  sufficient,  or  separate  drinking  fountains 
may  be  located  in  the  women's  and  men's  rooms. 
In  either  event  some  type  of  sanitary  fountain 
would  be  found  preferable. 

A  sanitary  provision  which  should  not  be  over- 
looked in  churches  is  the  installation  of  a  vacuum 
cleaner  to  keep  the  church  free  from  dust.  Many 
of  the  seats  in  churches  have  upholstered  cushions, 
while  the  aisles  are  covered  with  runners.  These 

217 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

become  charged  with  dust  brought  in  by  people  and 
from  infiltration  during  the  week,  so  that  when 
stirred  up  by  walking,  and  stirring  about  in  the 
seats,  affects  the  lungs  and  is  anything  but  pleas- 
ant or  sanitary.  A  good  vacuum  cleaning  outfit 
would  rid  the  church  of  the  dirt  and  dust  on  Satur- 
days, leaving  it  in  good  condition  for  the  Sunday 
services.  Brooms  and  dusters  are  of  no  use  for 
this  purpose,  as  they  but  stir  up  the  fine  and  more 
irritating  particles,  which,  later,  settle  again  ready 
for  further  mischief. 

A.  good  ventilation  system  is  equally  desirable 
in  church  buildings.  Where  many  people  congre- 
gate, as  they  do  in  church,  the  air  becomes  vitiated 
unless  a  constant  supply  of  pure,  fresh  air  is  con- 
stantly forced  in  from  outside.  The  air  used  for 
this  purpose  should  further  be  passed  through  an 
air  filter  or  an  air  washer  to  remove  all  particles  of 
dirt,  soot  and  dust. 


218 


CHAPTER  XVIII 


PLANNING  THE  PLUMBING  FOR 
VARIOUS  STRUCTURES 


PLANNING   THE    PLUMBING 
FOR  LIBRARIES 

0 

HE  library  is  another  class  of  buildings 
in  which  the  public  is  wholly  ignored, 
so  far  as  toilet  accommodations  are 
concerned.  Why  this  should  be  is  hard 
to  determine,  but  the  fact  remains  that 
in  comparatively  few  library  buildings  throughout 
the  country  have  any  sanitary  provisions  been 
made  for  the  visiting  public.  That  is  not  as  it 
should  be.  Wherever  a  building  of  a  semi-public 
nature  is  erected  some  provision  should  be  made 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  public  which  is  in- 
vited by  the  opening  of  its  doors.  The  public  toilet 
accommodations  for  the  ordinary  library  building 
need  not  be  large  or  extensive,  as  a  large  number 
of  people  seldom  congregate  there— a  couple  of 
water  closets  in  the  women's  toilet  room  and  one 
or  two  water  closets  and  a  urinal  in  the  men's  com- 
partment are  about  all  that  will  ordinarily  be  re- 
quired. 

219 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

In  addition  to  the  public  toilet  rooms  a  drink- 
ing fountain  will  be  found  desirable  in  all  public 
libraries,  and  private  toilet  accommodations  should 
be  provided  for  the  employees  of  the  building. 

PLANNING  THE  PLUMBING  FOR 
FIRE-ENGINE  HOUSES 

There  is  not  much  plumbing  work  in  a  fire-en- 
gine house,  but  what  little  there  is  differs  so  from 
the  work  in  other  classes  of  buildings  that  it  will 
stand  explaining  in  detail. 

The  plumbing  work  in  fire-engine  houses  may 
be  considered  as  belonging  to  three  distinct  divi- 
sions. First,  there  are  the  fixtures  for  the  com- 
fort and  convenience  of  the  firemen;  second, 
plumbing  work  required  by  the  horses,  and,  third, 
the  plumbing  work  necessitated  by  the  fire-fighting 
apparatus. 

As  the  men  sleep  on  the  second  floor  of  the 
building  all  the  usual  comforts  and  conveniences  in 
the  way  of  bath  tubs,  shower  baths,  lavatories  and 
water  closets  should  be  provided  that  would  be 
found  in  any  well-equipped  club.  In  a  certain 
sense  the  fire-engine  house  is  a  club  where  the  men 
live  and  sleep,  and  the  necessary  toilet  accommoda- 
tions must  be  provided  for  their  comfort.  A  good 
shower  bath,  or  a  needle  shower  and  spray  bath, 
will  be  found  a  welcome  addition  to  the  equipment. 
When  the  men  return  from  fighting  flames  they 
are  covered  with  perspiration  from  their  own  ex- 
ertions and  grime  from  the  soot  and  ashes  of  the 
fire,  and  a  good  hot  shower  bath  will  be  found  not 

220 


Plumbing    Plans^and    Specifications 

only  grateful  but  quicker  and  easier  for  them  to 
take  than  the  regular  tubbing.  Of  course,  a  plen- 
tiful supply  of  hot  water  will  be  necessary  in  a  fire- 
engine  house,  and  in  addition  to  the  shower  bath 
there  should  be  a  regular  bath  tub.  If  there  are 
over  fifteen  men  attached  to  a  house  there  should 
be  a  couple  of  bath  tubs  and  water  closets  for  their 
use.  Enough  lavatories  should  likewise  be  pro- 
vided so  that  men  will  not  have  to  stand  around 
waiting  for  one  another  to  get  through  washing. 

For  the  horses,  stall  drains  connected  to  the 
drainage  system  will  be  required,  and  besides  the 
usual  drinking  troughs  for  the  horses,  outlets  must 
be  provided  for  attaching  the  hose  so  that  the 
floors  and  apparatus  can  be  cleaned.  Floor  drains 
will  be  required  in  the  apparatus  room  so  that  water 
can  be  freely  splashed  on  the  floor  without  collect- 
ing in  pools. 

In  fire-engine  houses  where  steam  engines  are 
kept  a  water  heater  will  be  required  in  the  base- 
ment to  keep  up  the  temperature  of  water  in  the 
steam  engine  to  near  the  boiling  point.  While 
standing  idle  waiting  for  a  call  the  fire  engine  is 
kindled  ready  to  apply  the  torch  and  set  the  fur- 
nace going.  If  the  water  were  allowed  to  cool, 
however,  there  would  be  no  head  of  steam  when  a 
fire  was  reached.  To  overcome  this  difficulty  a  sta- 
tionary boiler  or  water  heater  is  provided  in  the 
basement  of  the  engine  house,  and  the  flow  and 
return  pipes  are  connected  to  the  engine  by  means 
of  flexible  or  automatic  connections  so  that  water 
from  the  boiler  will  circulate  freely  through  the 
fire  engine,  thus  keeping  the  temperature  almost 

221 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

at  the  steaming  point  and  ready  at  a  moment's 
notice  for  the  start  to  a  fire,, 

PLANNING  THE   PLUMBING  FOR 
FACTORY  BUILDINGS 

Manufacturing  buildings  differ  so  from  one 
another  in  what  is  required  in  the  way  of  water 
supply  and  waste  connections  for  the  industrial 
purposes  to  which  they  will  be  put  that  no  rules 
can  be  laid  down  which  will  be  applicable  to  all. 
The  only  suggestion  of  any  value  is  to  see  that  the 
quality  of  water  is  suitable  for  the  purpose.  Many 
industries  require  a  hard  water  for  use  in  their 
processes,  while  the  greater  number  must  have  soft 
water,  and  all  factories  prefer  soft  water  for  boiler 
feed.  The  best  thing  to  do  when  designing  a  build- 
ing for  industrial  purposes  is  to  consult  with  the 
superintendent  or  manager  of  the  plant  as  to  his 
requirements. 

So  far  as  the  comfort  and  convenience  of  the 
employees  are  concerned  all  factory  buildings  are 
very  much  alike  and  not  any  of  them  require  a 
great  amount  of  plumbing.  Of  the  small  amount 
that  is  required  a  supply  of  drinking  water  will  be 
found  in  the  front  rank,  and  it  will  be  found  a 
matter  of  policy  to  filter  all  water  used  at  the 
drinking  fountains.  Outside  of  the  drinking  foun- 
tains all  that  will  be  required  are  separate  toilet 
rooms  for  the  men  and  women  and  another  toilet 
room  for  the  office  help.  Ordinarily  it  will  be 
found  that  one  water  closet  and  one  urinal  for  each 
twenty  male  employees,  or  part  of  that  number, 

222 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

and  one  water  closet  for  each  twenty  female  em- 
ployees, or  part  of  that  number,  is  the  smallest  pos- 
sible allowance.  The  closets  should  be  grouped 
on  each  floor  of  tall  buildings,  or  at  least  on  each 
alternate  floor  of  the  building.  In  low  factory 
buildings,  not  over  two  stories  in  height  but  spread 
out  over  a  large  area,  the  toilet  accommodations 
are  better  scattered  throughout  the  premises  at 
convenient  points.  A  good  arrangement  is  to  have 
the  water  closets  in  a  separate  compartment  ad- 
joining the  locker  room  and  have  the  lavatories  lo- 
cated in  the  locker  room.  The  number  of  lavatories 
will  generally  depend  upon  the  generosity  of  the 
management,  but  one  lavatory  to  ten  employees  is 
about  the  average  allowance.  In  factories  where 
the  work  is  particularly  dirty,  as  well  as  in  many 
other  establishments  where  the  management  can 
be  made  to  see  the  value  of  cleanliness,  shower 
baths  are  provided  for  the  employees.  These  need 
not  be  expensive  affairs  and  may  be  set  in  one  large 
shower  room  with  sloping  cement  floor.  Such 
shower  buildings  are  provided  at  the  main  shaft  of 
many  mines  in  the  anthracite  region. 

It  might  seem  unnecessary  to  remark  that  a 
retiring  room  adjoining  the  women's  toilet  and 
wash  room,  and  furnished  with  sanitary  cots, 
should  be  provided  in  all  factories  employing 
women.  Accidents  and  sickness  are  not  of  infre- 
quent occurrence  in  such  places,  and  common  de- 
cency, if  not  humanity,  should  dictate  that  some 
place  besides  the  floor  of  the  factory  be  provided 
for  the  unfortunates. 

223 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

Factory  buildings,  of  course,  will  be  well 
equipped  with  fire  lines  and  sprinkler  systems,  but 
that  part  of  the  installation  is  more  in  the  nature 
of  fire  protection  and  cannot  be  considered  as  be- 
longing to  the  sanitary  equipment. 

PLANNING  THE  PLUMBING  FOR 
OFFICE  BUILDINGS 

The  plumbing  work  in  office  buildings  is  gen- 
erally a  simple  matter,  being  merely  a  repetition  of 
the  installation  on  one  floor  above  another.  In 
large  office  buildings,  however,  the  plumbing  work 
is  one  of  the  most  important  items  from  a  financial 
standpoint,  and  in  many  cases  there  are  special 
features  to  be  provided  for,  which  take  the  work 
out  of  the  simple  class. 

Ordinarily  the  plumbing  work  for  office  build- 
ings consists  of  a  women's  toilet  room  and  a  men's 
toilet  room  on  each  floor  of  the  building;  also  a  slop 
sink  on  each  floor  of  the  building,  located  either  in 
a  janitor's  closet  or  in.  one  of  the  toilet  rooms.  In 
the  better  class  of  office  buildings  separate  lava- 
tories, supplied  with  hot  and  cold  water,  are  pro- 
vided in  each  office  or  suite  of  offices  in  the  build- 
ing. No  doubt,  in  the  course  of  time,  a  private 
toilet  room  will  be  considered  necessary  in  every 
large  office  suite,  for  the  use  of  the  head  of  the 
concern.  There  is  no  reason  why  a  private  toilet 
room,  complete  in  every  respect,  should  not  be 
provided  in  such  cases,  in  addition  to  the  general 
or  public  toilet  accommodations  on  each  floor. 

224 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

Drinking  fountains  are  common  to  some  office 
buildings,  where  one  is  located  on  each  floor  and 
supplied  with  purified  water  from  a  filter. 

In  very  tall  buildings,  which  are  carried  a  cor- 
responding distance  below  street  level,  subsurface 
sewage  ejectors  will  be  necessary  to  care  for  the 
sewage  from  the  floors  located  below  the  street- 
sewer  level.  For  the  convenience  of  the  engineers 
and  firemen  a  fully  equipped  toilet  room  should  be 
provided  near  the  engine  room,  and  a  shower  bath 
would  add  greatly  to  the  comfort  of  these  em- 
ployees. 

In  many  large  office  buildings  barber  shops  are 
provided  for  on  one  of  the  floors,  and  here  all  neces- 
sary fixtures  should  be  installed.  Likewise  res- 
taurants are  sometimes  a  feature  of  office  build- 
ings, in  which  cases  the  kitchens  and  serving  rooms 
should  be  fully  equipped. 

Provision  of  living  rooms  is  made  for  the  jani- 
tor's family  in  some  office  buildings.  The  living 
apartments  are  usually  located  on  the  top  floor, 
and,  of  course,  should  be  fully  equipped  with  plumb- 
ing fixtures. 

PLANNING  THE   PLUMBING   FOR 
RAILWAY  STATIONS 

Suburban  Stations. — The  suburban  stations  of 
a  railway  company  generally  possess  two  distinct 
functions — that  is,  the  lower  floor  of  the  building, 
which  usually  is  two  stories  in  height,  is  given  over 
to  the  official  business  of  the  company  and  the  con- 
venience and  comfort  of  the  traveling  public,  while 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

the  second  floor  of  the  building  is  fitted  up  as  a 
home  for  the  station  agent's  family.  On  the  first 
floor  of  the  building  a  toilet  room  for  men,  another 
for  women,  a  slop  sink  for  janitor  service— which 
may  be  located  in  one  of  the  toilet  rooms  or  in  the 
janitor's  closet  adjoining — and  a  drinking  fountain 
usually  complete  the  sanitary  equipment.  On  the 
second  floor  of  the  building  a  bath  room  and  kitchen, 
the  same  as  in  a  private  house  or  apartment,  will 
complete  the  plumbing  work  for  this  class  of  build- 
ings. 

Terminal  Stations.— Terminal  stations,  also 
way  stations  in  large  cities  and  at  junctions,  are 
of  greater  importance  than  suburban  stations,  and 
naturally  have  more  extensive  plumbing  installa- 
tions. On  the  main  floors  of  such  buildings  re- 
tiring rooms  for  women  adjoining  toilet  rooms  are 
necessary,  and  corresponding  toilet  rooms  are  re- 
quired for  men.  In  the  men's  toilet  rooms  most  of 
the  fixtures  will  be  free,  while  for  the  use  of  others 
a  small  fee  may  be  charged,  which  will  include 
soap  and  the  use  of  a  towel.  Slop  sinks  will  be 
found  necessary  on  all  floors  of  the  building,  and 
drinking  fountains  will  be  required  on  all  the  pub- 
lic floors. 

A  barber  shop  is  operated  in  all  large  station 
buildings,  and  in  planning  the  work  provision  must 
be  made  for  the  barber  fixtures.  Likewise  a  lunch 
counter  and  dining  room  form  part  of  a  fully 
equipped  passenger  station,  which  necessitates  the 
fitting  up  of  a  complete  kitchen,  serving  room  and 
waiters'  locker  room  with  toilets.  The  engineers 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

and  firemen  must  not  be  overlooked  when  planning 
the  plumbing  work  and  a  fully  equipped  toilet  room 
containing  a  shower  should  be  provided  for  them. 

The  upper  floors  of  terminal  stations  are  gen- 
erally given  over  to  offices,  so  that  this  part  of  the 
station  may  be  considered  as  an  office  building  and 
fitted  up  in  the  same  manner  as  would  an  ordinary 
office  building. 

PLANNING  THE  PLUMBING  FOR 
PRINTING  OFFICES 

The  only  special  provisions  required  for  a  print- 
ing office,  outside  of  the  usual  fixtures  common  to 
all  office  buildings,  are  water  supply  and  waste  con- 
nections to  each  linotype  and  monotype  machine; 
large  sinks,  supplied  with  hot  and  cold  water, 
where  small  forms  and  other  articles  common  to 
printing  plants  can  be  washed,  and  a  special  form 
sinK  where  type  forms  can  be  cleaned. 

A  form  sink  is  best  made  of  wood,  dove-tailed 
together  at  the  corners,  and  should  be  set  on  the 
floor  in  the  press  room,  so  that  forms  which  are 
very  heavy  will  not  have  to  be  lifted  very  high. 
The  form  sink  should  be  supplied  with  hot  and  cold 
water  through  a  combination  cock  having  a  hose 
connection,  so  that  water  of  any  desired  tempera- 
ture can  be  played  on  the  form  through  a  short 
piece  of  hose.  A  form  sink  of  this  description, 
which  has  given  good  service  and  general  satisfac- 
tion, is  shown  in  Fig.  108.  The  sink  is  here  illus- 
trated only  as  a  suggestion,  to  be  modified  in  form 
or  size  to  suit  any  requirement.  It  will  be  found, 

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Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


however,  that  seldom  will  a  larger  form  be  found 
necessary. 

Compressed  air  is  likewise  required  for  many 
purposes  around  a  large  printing  plant.  It  is  used 
in  connection  with  the  feeding  of  presses,  and  is 
one  of  the  agencies  used  in  the  operation  of  a  mono- 


Comhindf/'on  HoJ 

cfficf  Co/c/  Water 

Cocfr  w/+h  host  encf 


-  Rooter.  *~ 


Fig.  108 

type  or  linotype  machine.  Water  will  generally  be 
required  to  cool  the  cylinders  of  air  compressors, 
and  waste  connections  will  be  required  to  carry  off 
the  waste  water  when  such  is  the  case,  while,  in 
small  plants,  where  water  is  plentiful,  water- 
operated  compressors  might  be  used  for  compress- 
ing the  air. 

228 


CHAPTER  XIX 


PUBLIC   BATH   HOUSES 


EGESSITY  for  Bath  Houses.  — The 

benefits  of  public  bath  houses  are  so 
numerous  and  the  advantages  to  a  com- 
munity arising  from  a  well-planned 
system  of  such  buildings  are  so  well 
known  that  further  comment  would  seem  unneces- 
sary outside  of  pointing  out  the  extent  to  which 
public  baths  are  patronized.  In  Boston,  for  exam- 
ple, where  much  thought  and  care  are  given  to 
baths,  over  five  hundred  thousand  people  bathe  an- 
nually. In  Glasgow,  Scotland,  853,000  was  the 
total  number  for  their  banner  year.  In  New  York 
City  at  one  bath  house  alone  in  one  year  865,650 
people,  over  one-third  of  whom  were  women, 
availed  themselves  of  its  advantages;  while  in 
Cleveland  172,000  people  have  visited  a  single  bath 
house  in  one  year.  This  liberal  use  of  public  bath 
houses,  wherever  they  have  been  erected,  points 
out  more  forcibly  than  could  words  the  necessity 
for  the  erection  of  bath  houses  in  all  cities  of  what- 
soever size  and  class.  In  manufacturing  or  mining 
towns  and  large  commercial  centers  the  necessity 

229 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

for  bath  houses  will  be  found  the  more  urgent,  but 
there  is  not  a  city  or  village  throughout  the  land 
where  bathing  facilities  are  not  lacking  for  the 
great  mass  of  people.  In  the  smaller  cities  and 
villages,  where  cost  must  be  considered,  the  base- 
ment of  school  houses,  town  halls  or  other  public 
buildings  can  easily  and  at  small  cost  be  fitted  up 
as  public  baths.  If  the  baths  are  located  in  the 
basement  of  school  buildings  so  much  the  better, 
for  school  children  can  then  avail  themselves  of  the 
advantages  during  the  day-time  and  the  general 
public  at  night. 

Location  of  Bath  Houses. — In  locating  public 
bath  houses  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that 
they  be  placed  in  the  districts  where  there  are  the 
greatest  demands  for  their  use,  and  the  buildings 
should  be  located  as  centrally  as  possible  within 
those  precincts,  so  they  will  be  readily  accessible 
from  all  points  without  entailing  a  long  walk.  It 
is  obvious  that  men  or  women,  tired  after  a  hard 
day's  work,  will  think  twice  before  walking  a 
dozen  blocks  for  a  bath,  no  matter  how  much  good 
it  would  do  them,  whereas  they  would  not  hesitate 
a  minute  if  the  bath  house  were  near  by.  In  or- 
der that  the  bath  might  be  brought,  if  not  home  to 
the  patrons,  at  least  convenient  for  all,  it  would  be 
better  in  large  districts  to  erect  several  bath  houses 
at  different  points  in  preference  to  one  large  bath 
house  of  the  combined  capacity  of  the  several  at 
some  central  location. 

If  distance  has  a  deterrent  effect  on  attend- 
ance, no  less  so  has  the  architectural  character  of 

230 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

the  building,  an  imposing  and  formal  exterior 
frightening  the  more  timid  away,  while  a  less  pre- 
tentious building,  more  in  keeping  with  the  neigh- 
borhood, attracts  them  or  invites  their  confidence. 
Such  timidity  might  seem  foolish,  but,  neverthe- 
less, it  is  true,  particularly  in  districts  where  bath 
houses  are  first  being  introduced.  It  would  be 
well,  therefore,  in  such  cases,  to  make  the  build- 
ings simple  and  attractive,  both  inside  and  outside, 
so  far  as  architectural  enrichment  or  sumptuous 
furnishings  are  concerned.  Cleanliness,  simplicity 
and  sanitary  completeness  should  be  the  corner- 
stones of  the  edifice. 

Requirements  of  a  Public  Bath. — In  order  that 
some  one  will  be  on  the  premises  at  all  times  to 
give  the  building  personal  attention,  living-rooms 
are  provided  for  the  superintendents  of  public  bath 
houses,  usually  on  the  top  floor,  and  these  living- 
rooms  require  all  of  the  sanitary  appliances  of  a 
like  apartment  in  any  other  building.  In  the  bath 
house  proper  the  requirements  will  depend  to  a 
great  extent  on  the  completeness  of  the  equipment. 
For  instance,  but  few  baths  are  provided  with  a 
hot-air  room,  or  ' 'sweat  room,"  such  as  is  used  in 
a  Turkish  bath,  yet  no  more  beneficial  provision 
could  be  made,  for  the  * 'sweat  bath"  is  the  most 
cleansing  to  the  skin  and  purifying  to  the  blood  of 
all  the  baths.  As  the  installation  of  a  "sweat 
room"  is  a  very  simple  matter  and  not  at  all  costly, 
it  would  seem  that  no  public  bath  should  be  erected 
without  this  important  adjunct.  From  the  hot-air 
room  the  bather  could  pass  to  a  shower  bath  for  a 

231 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

good  scrubbing  and  subsequent  cold  spray  to  close 
the  pores  and  tone  the  system.  Next  to  the  hot- 
air  bath  and  the  vapor  bath  the  ordinary  bath  tub 
is  the  most  beneficial,  but  outside  of  some  bath 
rooms  in  the  women 's  apartments  tubs  are  not  so 
desirable  as  shower  baths.  Soap  and  dirt  cling  to 
the  surface  of  bath  tubs  and  would  have  to  be  cleaned 
away  after  each  bath.  Liability  exists  of  spread- 
ing disease  if  the  tubs  are  not  properly  cleansed, 
and,  finally,  more  time  would  be  required  for  each 
bather  if  tubs  were  used,  without  giving  them  the 
advantage  of  a  cold  shower  to  finish  off  with.  For 
these  reasons  overhead  shower  nozzles  are  com- 
monly provided  for  general  use  in  public  baths, 
and  bath  tubs  provided  only  in  a  few  of  the  com- 
partments in  the  women's  departments,  where  they 
may  be  used  by  women  either  for  themselves  or 
for  bathing  children. 

In  addition  to  bathing-facilities,  toilet  accom- 
modations must  be  provided  both  for  men  and 
women,  and  instead  of  having  separate  days  when 
the  bath  house  is  for  the  exclusive  use  of  men  or 
women,  it  is  much  better  to  have  separate  com- 
partments where  either  can  bathe  at  any  time. 

In  the  larger  and  more  complete  bath  houses 
plunge  baths  are  constructed,  and  while  they  add 
greatly  to  the  attractiveness  of  the  place,  and 
tempt  many  people  to  the  establishment  during  the 
summer  months,  still  they  are  not  of  much  value 
from  a  bathing  standpoint,  as  they  are  very  poor 
cleansers  of  the  person.  As  between  the  plunge 
bath  and  the  hot  room,  the  latter  is  by  far  the 
more  preferable  where  real  value  instead  of  at- 

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Plumbing    Plans    a*n  d    Specifications 

tractiveness  is  desired.  Swimming-baths,  on  the 
other  hand,  do  untold  good  by  alluring  people  to 
the  bath  house  who  otherwise  would  not  attend, 
thus  making  of  them  regular  patrons. 

In  order  to  launder  numerous  towels,  sheets 
and  bathing-trunks,  unavoidably  soiled  in  a  bath 
house,  a  laundry  is  indispensable,  and  this  may 
well  be  located  in  the  basement.  Rotary  machine 
washers,  centrifugal  water  extractors,  drying-racks 
and  mangles,  all  run  by  power,  are  about  all  that 
will  be  required  even  in  the  largest  establishments. 

Fees  for  Bathing. — The  question  whether  a  fee 
will  be  charged  for  the  use  of  a  bath  is  one  which 
must  be  settled  in  every  city  which  establishes  a 
bath  house.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  ideal 
condition  would  be  free  baths,  where  soap,  water, 
towel  and  the  use  of  a  compartment  could  be  had 
without  cost;  but  if  the  cost  of  maintaining  one 
free  bath  would  prevent  the  construction  of  an- 
other— in  other  words,  if  more  pay  bath  houses 
could  be  built  than  free  ones — it  is  doubtful  if  the 
better  plan  would  not  be  to  put  up  as  many  baths 
as  were  necessary  or  desirable  and  charge  a  small 
fee  at  all  of  them.  By  this  plan  the  greatest 
amount  of  good  would  be  done  to  the  greatest  num- 
ber of  people. 

Again,  as  a  rule  people  do  not  care  to  be  de- 
pendent on  others  for  assistance  and  would  sooner 
pay  their  own  way,  particularly  if  the  cost  be  mod- 
erate. That  being  true,  a  larger  attendance  can 
be  expected  if  a  small  fee  be  exacted. 

233 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

If  a  fee  be  charged  for  the  privilege  of  a  bath 
the  fee  should  be  only  high  enough  so  the  patron's 
self  respect  will  not  suffer,  not  so  high  that  it  would 
prevent  the  free  use  of  the  bath  house  by  anybody. 
Children  under  any  condition  should  be  admitted 
free,  and  a  charge  of  five  cents  should  be  the  most 
that  would  be  exacted  from  anybody.  Where 
there  is  no  free  list  outside  of  children,  tickets 
might  be  sold  at,  say,  ten  for  a  quarter,  making 
the  cost  per  bath  two  and  one-half  cents.  This 
small  fee  would  not  prohibit  any  one,  for,  even 
though  they  could  not  afford  the  money,  some  one 
would  give  them  a  ticket,  and  even  a  pauper  would 
feel  more  independent  attending  on  a  free  ticket 
than  asking  for  a  free  bath. 

Where  a  hot-air  room  is  provided,  a  fee  of  ten 
cents  might  be  charged  for  what  would  be  equiva- 
lent to  a  Turkish  bath.  In  Glasgow,  Scotland,  a 
complete  Turkish  bath  with  massage  can  be  had 
for  twenty-five  cents,  so  without  personal  attention 
the  bath  ought  to  be  possible  for  ten  cents.  So 
far  as  the  massage  is  concerned,  that  which  is 
given  in  a  Turkish  bath  may  just  as  well  be 
omitted,  and  there  is  nothing  else  about  the  process 
which  the  bather  cannot  do  for  himself. 

Public  Wash  Houses.  — Public  wash  houses 
have  been  found  as  great  a  boon  in  poor  districts 
as  have  the  public  baths,  and  the  two  now  go  hand 
in  hand.  In  many  cities  the  public  baths  are  com- 
bined with  the  public  wash  houses  in  one  building 
and  this  practice,  no  doubt,  will  spread  with  time. 

234 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


235 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

In  public  wash  houses,  for  the  small  fee  of  four 
cents  per  hour,  a  woman  can  have  soap,  water, 
heat,  light,  a  set  of  wash  trays  connected  with  hot 
and  cold  water  and  waste,  and  a  corresponding 
rack  in  the  drying-room,  as  well  as  the  use  of  a 
mechanical  washer,  centrifugal  water  extractor, 
mangle,  irons,  heated  iron  stoves,  ironing-boards 
and  table — everything,  in  fact,  that  would  be  found 
in  a  fully  equipped  private  laundry.  All  she  needs 
to  bring  is  the  soiled  clothing,  which  is  taken  away 
dry  and  clean.  The  interior  of  a  large  wash  house 
in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  showing  the  separate  booths 
containing  tubs,  moisture  extractors,  and  doors 
leading  into  the  drying-racks,  may  be  seen  in  the 
half-tone  illustration,  Fig.  109. 

In  large  bathing  establishments  which  are  com- 
bined with  public  wash  houses  a  separate  laundry 
is  maintained  for  the  establishment,  so  that  there 
will  be  no  confusion  between  the  public  wash  house 
and  the  bath-house  laundry. 

EXAMPLE    OF    A    PUBLIC    BATH 
AND    WASH   HOUSE 

The  basement  floor  of  a  public  bath  and  wash 
house  is  shown  in  Fig.  110.  This  floor  is  given 
over  to  the  public  wash  house  and  contains,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  hall,  storage  room  and  engine  room, 
the  public  laundry.  In  the  laundry  are  eight  sets 
of  two  laundry  tubs,  a  machine  washer,  drying- 
racks  and  ironing-table. 

The  plan  of  the  first  floor  of  the  same  building 
is  shown  in  Fig.  111.  This  floor  contains  the  men's 

236 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


237 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

baths  and  a  toilet  room,  besides  a  reception  or  wait- 
ing-room, where  patrons  can  be  made  comfortable 
while  awaiting  their  turn.  The  main  bath  room  is 
divided  up  into  twenty  separate  booths,  ten  on  each 
side,  divided  by  a  corridor.  The  booths  are  again 
subdivided  into  the  inner  shower  rooms  and  the 
outer,  or  dressing,  rooms.  All  that  the  dressing 
rooms  contain  are  hooks  on  which  to  hang  clothes 
and  a  stool,  or  seat,  on  which  to  sit.  The  partitions 
are  of  slate,  marble  or  glass,  about  seven  feet  high, 
and  the  tops  are  covered  with  wire  screens  to  pre- 
vent clothing  or  other  valuables  being  "lifted" 
from  one  compartment  to  another. 

The  women's  booths  are  on  the  second  floor,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  112.  Here,  in  addition  to  the  show- 
ers, are  two  booths  containing  bath  tubs  and  a  sepa- 
rate bath  room  for  children.  A  nursery  is  likewise 
provided  and  a  reception  room  for  the  women  wait- 
ing for  a  bath. 

PUBLIC   PLAYGROUNDS 

A  description  of  public  conveniences — like  com- 
fort stations,  bath  and  wash  houses — would  not  be 
complete  without  some  reference  to  public  play- 
grounds, such  as  are  receiving  so  much  attention 
at  present  in  the  more  progressive  of  the  large 
cities.  These  public  playgrounds,  with  their  neces- 
sary buildings,  provide  facilities  for  all  kinds  of 
amusements,  sports  and  comforts,  and  must,  there- 
fore, possess  many  of  the  features  of  a  public  com- 
fort station,  club  building,  library,  restaurant,  gym- 
nasium, bath  house  and  recreation  park  combined, 

238 


Plumbing    Plans    sund    Specifications 


239 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

as  may  be  seen  by  referring  to  Fig.  113,  which 
shows  the  layout  of  a  typical  small  playground  in 
Chicago.  Plans  of  the  first  and  second  floor  of  the 
recreation  building  erected  on  this  park  are  shown 
in  Fig.  114.  Ample  toilet  accommodations,  both 
for  men  and  women,  are  provided  in  this  building. 
In  the  indoor  gymnasiums,  in  addition  to  the  douche 
baths,  there  is  a  plunge  bath,  while  outside  in  the 
open  air  is  a  large,  delightful  swimming-pool,  a 
typical  scene  from  which  is  shown  in  Fig  115.  A 
shower  house  is  provided  close  beside  the  swim- 
ming-pool, so  that  a  thorough  wash  can  be  had  be- 
fore entering  the  water.  See  Fig.  116.  The  out- 
door gymnasium  is  fully  equipped  with  every  kind 
of  device  that  lovers  of  gymnastics  could  wish  for, 
as  may  be  seen  in  Fig.  117,  while  not  least  in  im- 
portance is  a  sandy-bottom  wading-pool,  Fig.  118, 
in  the  children's  playground,  and  close  by  is  a  sand 
court  in  which  the  children  can  build  sand  houses 
and  make  mud  pies.  Scattered  throughout  the 
grounds,  at  convenient  points,  sanitary  drinking- 
fountains,  Fig.  119,  have  been  provided,  so  that  no 
one  need  want  for  any  personal  necessities  in  the 
park. 

Public  playgrounds  are  badly  needed  in  all  large 
cities,  and  sufficient  space  should  be  provided  in 
each  so  that  all  the  children  included  within  the 
district  can  have  a  chance  at  their  favorite  pastimes. 
A  sufficient  number  of  playgrounds  likewise  should 
be  provided  so  that  each  section  of  the  city  or  dis- 
trict would  have  one  of  its  own. 

In  the  condemning  of  property  for  a  play- 
ground site,  a  good  plan  is  to  select  some  run- 

240 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


241 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

down  ramshackle  neighborhood  where  the  dilapi- 
dated buildings  and  poor  sanitary  conditions  are  a 
menace  to  the  health  of  the  inhabitants,  and  by 
tearing  down  the  old  rookeries,  convert  this  into 
one  of  the  beauty  spots  as  well  as  a  useful  city 
property. 

In  cities  remote  from  water  courses,  the  swim- 
ming pools  may  well  be  made  serve  as  swimming 
schools,  where  boys  and  girls  can  be  taught  the  art 
of  swimming.  A  competent  teacher  or  two  in  the 
course  of  a  season  would  teach  thousands  to  keep 
afloat  in  the  water,  and  be  able  to  save  themselves 
in  case  of  an  accidental  plunge  into  a  lake  or  river. 
'The  playground  buildings,  if  properly  con- 
ducted, can  be  made  serve  as  boys'  clubs,  both 
winter  and  summer.  If  suitable  instructors  are 
provided,  both  in  athletics  and  in  manual  training, 
the  surplus  energy  in  boys,  the  element  which 
often  leads  a  good  boy  astray  by  being  misdirected, 
can  be  trained  and  turned  into  useful  channels,  re- 
imbursing both  the  city  and  state  a  thousand  fold. 


242 


CHAPTER  XX 


PLUMBING  WORK  IN  THEATERS, 
HOSPITALS  AND   PRISONS 


HE  plumbing  work  in  theaters  may  be 
conveniently  divided  into  three  differ- 
ent groups,  each  classified  according  to 
the  purpose  which  it  serves.  The  work 
and  fixtures  included  in  group  No.  1 
are  intended  solely  for  the  accommodation  and  con- 
venience of  patrons  of  the  theater.  The  work  and 
fixtures  in  group  No.  2  are  for  the  use  of  the  play- 
ers while  the  fixtures  in  the  final  group  are  for 
the  employees  of  the  theater.  As  the  patrons  of  a 
theater  are  restricted  to  the  tier  where  their  seats 
are  located,  whether  gallery,  balcony  or  orchestra 
—separate  accommodation  should  be  provided  on 
the  different  tiers — a  toilet  room  or,  perhaps,  smok- 
ing, lounging  and  toilet  room  for  the  men  and  a  re- 
tiring and  toilet  room  for  the  women.  So  far  as 
the  public  is  concerned,  no  further  toilet  accommo- 
dations will  be  required. 

For  the  convenience  of  the  players  a  lavatory 
with  hot  and  cold  water  should  be  provided  in  each 
dressing  room,  while  the  leading  actor  usually  has 

243 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

a  complete  toilet  room  adjoining  the  dressing  room. 
In  addition,  in  that  part  of  the  building  where  the 
dressing  rooms  are  located  liberal  toilet  provision 
must  be  made  for  the  actors,  chorus  and  supers, 
both  male  and  female,  and  a  shower  will  be  found 
a  great  convenience  for  actors  in  performances 
where  tumbling,  turning  or  like  violent  exercises 
are  performed. 

The  mechanical  installation  for  the  theater  and 
fixtures  for  the  employees  begin  first  in  the  man- 
ager's office,  adjoining  which  a  toilet  room  should 
be  provided.  In  addition,  in  some  part  of  that  por- 
tion of  the  building  taken  up  by  the  stage,  wings 
and  flies  toilet  accommodations  must  be  provided 
for  the  stage  hands  and  general  employees,  while 
near  the  engine  room  a  toilet  room  will  be  required 
for  the  engineer  and  his  help. 

In  order  to  be  prepared  for  spectacular  produc- 
tions, in  which  there  will  be  a  water  scene  requir- 
ing a  large  tank  of  water,  an  extra  large  water 
main  should  be  extended  into  the  building,  with  all 
necessary  controlling  valves,  so  temporary  connec- 
tions can  be  made  to  temporary  tanks  or  the  water 
piped  to  other  points  to  produce  waterfalls  or  other 
water  effects.  The  size  of  water  main  should  be 
calculated  in  each  case,  so  that  the  tank  can  be 
filled  in  the  minimum  time. 

Not  less  important  than  filling  the  tank  is  the 
emptying  of  it,  and  a  sufficiently  large  waste  pipe 
to  the  sewer  should  be  provided  for  this  purpose, 
with  all  necessary  valves  and  outlets  where  tem- 
porary connections  can  be  made. 

244 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


JJ 


!....»     f     r     T 


33* 


Fig.  113 
South  Park  Commissioners'  Armour  Square.  Typical  of  Other  Small  Parks,  Chicago,  1906 


245 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

The  pumps,  sprinklers,  systems,  tanks  and  all 
the  necessary  piping  and  apparatus  for  fighting 
fire  should  likewise  be  included  in  the  mechanical 
installation,  but  fire  pumps  and  piping  belong  more 
to  fire-fighting  apparatus  than  to  the  sanitary  lay- 
out and  will  not  be  considered  here. 

HOSPITALS 

Hospital  plumbing  stands  in  a  class  by  itself, 
and  there  is,  perhaps,  no  other  kind  of  building  in 
which  good  plumbing  work,  materials  and  fixtures 
are  of  so  much  importance,  particularly  in  that 
part  of  the  installation  which  has  to  do  with  sur- 
gical cases  and  the  preparation  for  operations. 
There  are  four  divisions  of  the  plumbing  in  hos- 
pitals— that  which  is  installed  for  the  general  wel- 
fare of  the  patients,  the  fixtures  and  apparatus  re- 
quired for  the  institution  as  a  whole,  provision  for 
the  doctors  and  nurses,  and  apparatus  and  fixtures 
used  in  the  curing  of  diseases  and  performing  of 
operations. 

In  all  large  hospitals  the  patients  may  be 
roughly  grouped  as  private  cases,  ward  patients 
and  children.  The  private  patients  are  quartered 
in  private  rooms,  the  same  as  in  a  hotel  building, 
and  bath  rooms  should  be  provided  adjoining  these 
private  rooms  in  the  same  manner  as  in  hotels  and 
club  buildings. 

In  private  rooms  which  are  not  connected  with 
a  bath  room  stationary  lavatories,  at  least,  should 
be  provided. 

246 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


247 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

For  the  accommodation  of  ward  patients  gen- 
eral toilet  rooms,  also  bathing  facilities,  are  pro- 
vided convenient  to  the  wards,  and  in  the  receiving 
wards  showers  which  can  be  operated  by  an  attend- 
ant from  a  distance  are  very  desirable,  particularly 
where  charity  patients  are  received,  so  that  when 


Pig.  115 
Typical  Swimming  Pool  Scene 

necessary  the  incoming  patient  can  be  thoroughly 
scrubbed  before  being  assigned  to  quarters  in  the 
hospital. 

For  the  children's  ward  a  bath  room  can  be 
fitted  up  in  which  infants'  and  children's  baths  are 
installed.  Likewise  in  the  toilet  rooms  children's 
closets,  which  are  only  about  twelve  inches  high, 

248 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


may  be  specified  instead  of  the  standard  size  of 
closets. 

For  the  institution  in  general  a  kitchen  and  diet 
kitchen,  a  laundry,  water-heating  apparatus,  fire 
lines,  helps'  toilet  and  bathing  accommodations, 
engineers'  toilet  room  and  sundry  other  provisions 


Fig.  116 
A  Thorough  Wash  Before  Entering  Swimming  Pool 

will  be  necessary.  In  like  manner  toilet  and  bath- 
ing facilities  will  be  necessary  for  the  doctors  and 
nurses. 

All  of  the  foregoing  enumerated  sanitary  re- 
quirements are  common  to  all  institutions  of  this 
character  and  differ  but  little  in  the  various  hos- 
pitals. When,  however,  the  matter  of  sanitary  ap- 

249 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


pliances  for  use  in  the  surgical  wing  of  the  building 
is  to  be  considered  it  will  be  well  to  go  over  the 
matter  thoroughly  with  the  surgeon  having  charge 
of  that  branch  of  the  hospital  work.  Before  doing 
so  the  designer  should  familiarize  himself  with  the 
various  fixtures  and  appliances  designed  for  hos- 
pital service  and  the  advantages  and  limitations  of 
each  when  they  have  been  installed. 


Fig.  117 
An  Outdoor  Gymnasium 

Portable  bath  tubs  on  wheels,  some  of  them 
fitted  with  frames  for  the  immersion  of  typhoid- 
fever  and  sunstroke  patients,  are  among  the  plumb- 
ing fixtures  which  will  be  required,  and  a  sink  or 
other  receptor,  set  with  the  top  level  with  the  floor, 
will  be  found  necessary  for  drawing  off  the  waste 

250 


Plumbing    Plans    aad    Specifications 


251 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


water  from  the  tubs.  Further,  hot  and  cold  water 
faucets,  with  long  swing  spouts  set  over  the  sink, 
will  be  required  for  filling  the  tubs. 

Slop  sinks  will  be  required  at  suitable  places  to 
facilitate  the  cleaning  of  wards,  rooms  and  corri- 
dors, and  floor  drains  will  be  found  necessary  in 
some  places — as,  for  instance,  the  operating  rooms, 
autopsy  rooms  and  morgue.  A  battery  of  lava- 
tories fitted  with  knee-action  or  pedal  arrange- 
ments for  turning 
on  or  shutting  off 
water  and  operat- 
ing the  waste  plug 
will  be  found  de- 
sirable in  the  doc- 

KSf^H  hNtetf]  tors'  wash  room' 

JJJLjT  JN?    |^y  where  they  clean 

their  hands  before 
and  after  opera- 
tions. 

Hospital  sinks 
will  be  required 
in  the  examining 
rooms,  operating 
rooms,  morgue, 
wards,  toilet  rooms,  sterilizing  rooms  and,  possibly, 
at  other  points,  while  hospital  lavatories  with  knee- 
action  or  pedal-operated  cocks  will  be  found  de- 
sirable in  the  operating,  sterilizing  and  anesthizing 
rooms.  At  some  of  the  fixtures  in  the  operating, 
sterilizing  and  other  rooms  connected  with  the 
operating  room,  sterilized  water  will  be  required, 
and  special  water-distilling  apparatus  will  be  neces- 

252 


Fig.  119 
Typical  Drinking  Fountain  Scene 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

sary  for  this  purpose,  together  with  the  pipes  lead- 
ing to  the  fixtures.  Sterilizing  apparatus  will  like- 
wise be  required  and  will  be  located,  no  doubt,  in 
a  special  room  set  aside  for  sterilizing  purposes. 
In  this  room,  in  addition  to  lavatories  and  a  sink, 
large,  deep  vats  or  tubs,  similar  to  sinks  but  much 
deeper  and  provided  with  plugs,  will  be  necessary 
for  holding  antiseptic  fluids.  A  portable  immer- 
sion tub  of  this  description  set  upon  a  framework 
with  wheels  will  be  found  convenient  for  moving 
from  place  to  place— as,  for  instance,  into  an 
operating  room — so  that  basins  and  other  utensils 
used  during  an  operation  can  be  immersed  from 
time  to  time  in  the  antiseptic  solution. 

In  the  laboratory  considerable  plumbing  will 
likewise  be  required,  the  kind  and  amount  depend- 
ing largely  upon  the  size  and  completeness  of  the 
laboratory  equipment.  Autopsy  tables  with  waste 
connections  in  the  autopsy  room,  and  mortuary 
slabs  in  the  morgue,  will  also  be  required,  and  sinks 
will  be  convenient  in  most  of  the  rooms  referred  to 
in  the  surgical  quarter. 

In  addition  to  all  of  the  fixtures  and  apparatus 
enumerated  in  the  foregoing  paragraphs  a  complete 
Turkish  bath  will  be  found  of  value  in  all  large  hos- 
pitals, while  apparatus  for  hydrotherapeutic  treat- 
ment of  patients  will  be  found  necessary  in  some 
hospitals  and  sanitariums. 

PRISONS 

The  plumbing  work  in  jails  and  prisons  is  sim- 
ple as  can  be,  yet  the  installations  are  of  necessity 
as  full  and  complete  as  that  of  a  hotel  or  club 

253 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

house.  Most  of  the  plumbing  work  in  prisons  is  in 
the  tiers  of  cells,  each  one  of  which  is  provided 
with  a  lavatory  and  water  closet  for  the  con- 
venience of  the  prisoners. 

In  addition  to  the  plumbing  work  in  the  cells, 
a  prison  requires  a  kitchen,  bakery  and  laundry,  as 
fully  equipped  with  fixtures  as  would  be  a  hotel  de- 
signed to  accommodate  an  equal  number  of  people. 
In  the  keeper's  quarters  toilet  and  bathing  facili- 
ties should  not  be  overlooked,  and  a  bath  room  for 
the  prisoners  is  a  vital  necessity,  where  at  least 
once  a  week  each  inmate  can  have  a  thorough 
scrubbing. 


254 


CHAPTER  XXI 


PLANNING   PUBLIC  CONVENIENCE 
STATIONS 


F  PUBLIC  toilet  accommodations  are 
necessary  in  public  and  semi-public 
buildings  where  a  large  number  of  peo- 
ple congregate,  how  much  more  neces- 
sary are  toilet  accommodations  or  pub- 
lic comfort  stations  in  city  squares,  public  parks  and 
other  places  which  at  times  are  congested  by 
masses  of  people  brought  together  by  business  or 
pleasure?  Some  idea  of  the  necessity  for  public 
convenience  stations  in  large  cities  may  be  gained 
by  a  statement  of  the  number  of  people  that  avail 
themselves  of  the  advantages  thus  offered  in  cities 
where  stations  have  been  erected.  For  instance, 
the  number  of  people  that  visited  the  under- 
ground public  convenience  station  at  Thirteenth 
Street  and  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  Washington, 
D.  C.,  during  the  month  of  August,  1907,  was 
86,500.  Of  those,  4,600  visited  the  station  during 
one  day — that  being  the  greatest  number  for  an 
open  period— and  1,100  was  the  minimum  number 
of  people  that  visited  the  station  during  any  one 

255 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

day.  During  the  same  month  the  public  con- 
venience station  at  Seventh  Street  and  Pennsyl- 
vania Avenue  in  the  same  city  had  an  attendance 
of  88,000,  of  which  4,300  attended  on  the  maximum 
day  and  1,600  on  the  minimum  day.  Of  the  peo- 
ple visiting  both  those  stations  about  12  per  cent. 
were  women.  In  other  words,  during  that  month 
of  August  10,380  women  visited  the  Thirteenth 
Street  station  and  10,560  women  visited  the  Seventh 
Street  station. 

That  the  free  use  of  public  convenience  sta- 
tions is  not  confined  to  certain  cities  or  localities, 
but  is  common  to  all,  is  evidenced  by  the  attend- 
ance in  other  cities  and  in  all  quarters  where  such 
conveniences  have  been  provided.  In  Brooklyn, 
during  the  months  of  January,  February  and 
March,  1908,  574,845  persons,  or  an  average  of 
almost  200,000  persons  per  month,  made  use  of  the 
public  convenience  station  at  Lorimer  Street  and 
Broadway.  Many  more  instances  could  be  cited 
and  statistics  could  be  multiplied  to  show  by  the 
number  who  use  them  the  real  necessity  for  such 
conveniences,  but  the  truth  is  so  self  evident  that 
further  comment  as  to  their  advisability  seems  un- 
necessary. 

Location  for  Public  Convenience  Stations.— 

Public  convenience  stations  are  necessary  only  in 
the  business,  theatrical  and  shopping  districts  of 
large  cities  and  at  public  parks,  recreation  piers 
and  like  places  of  public  assemblage.  In  the  shop- 
ping, theatrical  and  business  districts  those  corners 
or  crossings  where  traffic  is  greatest  will  be  found 

256 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

most  desirable  places  for  location  of  the  stations. 
If  there  is  a  public  square  near  by  or  a  gore  plot, 
such  as  is  formed  by  the  intersection  of  three  or 
more  streets  or  two  streets  at  less  than  right 
angles,  the  public  convenience  station  may  well  oc- 
cupy this  gore  plot. 

It  may  be  laid  down  as  a  rule  from  which  there 
can  be  no  deviation  without  entailing  loss  and 
trouble  that  no  public  convenience  station  should 
be  erected  without  making  provision  for  an  attend- 
ant and  having  some  one  in  charge  during  the 
hours  the  building  is  open  to  the  public.  It  is  a 
fact,  born  of  experience,  that  petty  thieves  will 
pilfer  and  vandals  destroy  the  fittings  and  fixtures 
in  public  convenience  stations  as  fast  as  they  can 
be  repaired  or  replaced  if  somebody  is  not  in  at- 
tendance to  watch  them.  It  will  prove  a  matter 
of  economy,  therefore,  instead  of  building  several 
small  one  or  two-fixture,  dark,  cold  and  illy  lighted 
apologies  in  a  district,  to  build  one  good  substan- 
tial station,  well  lighted,  comfortably  heated,  freely 
ventilated  and  perfectly  sanitary  in  all  respects, 
then  put  some  one  in  charge  to  superintend  the 
plant. 

Heating  and  ventilation  are  two  features  which 
must  be  well  considered  in  the  planning  of  a  pub- 
lic convenience  station.  Without  heat  not  only  does 
it  entail  discomfort  on  the  attendant  and  visitors, 
but  further  exposes  the  piping  and  fixtures  to  the 
danger  of  being  damaged  by  the  frost.  If  the 
building  is  not  well  ventilated,  on  the  other  hand, 
people  will  refuse  to  avail  themselves  of  its  doubt- 
ful advantages. 

257 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

EXAMPLES    OF    PUBLIC 
CONVENIENCE  STATIONS 

An  Above-Ground  Station. — The  front  and 
rear  elevations  of  a  public  convenience  station  built 
above  ground  are  shown  in  the  east  elevation,  Fig. 
120,  and  the  west  elevation,  Fig.  121.  The  only 
reason  for  showing  these  elevations  in  this  work  is 
because  buildings  of  this  character  are  not  very 
numerous,  and  the  elevations  are  interpolated  as  a 
helpful  suggestion  to  those  who  are  called  upon  to 
design  a  public  convenience  station  without  having 
seen  one. 

The  valuable  features  of  this  station  lie,  how- 
ever, not  so  much  in  the  elevation  as  in  the  interior 
arrangement,  shown  in  Fig.  122.  It  will  be  noticed 
that  the  building  is  well  lighted,  both  by  windows 
and  by  artificial  light.  This  is  absolutely  necessary 
if  a  clean,  sanitary  and  pleasing  interior  is  to  be 
maintained.  There  is  no  greater  foe  to  dirt  and 
filth  diseases  than  well-lighted  nooks  and  crannies 
where  dirt  cannot  be  concealed.  Next  to  light,  air 
is  the  chief  consideration,  and,  as  may  be  seen  by 
an  examination  of  the  layout  on  the  floor  plan, 
every  closet  compartment,  all  of  the  urinals  and 
the  rooms  in  general  are  liberally  provided  with 
ventilation.  This  in  itself,  however,  would  not  be 
sufficient  if  means  were  not  provided  for  moving 
the  air,  and  to  this  end  a  fan  is  installed  to  me- 
chanically remove  the  air  from  the  rooms,  urinals 
and  closet  compartments. 

In  order  to  heat  the  building  and  supply  hot 
water  to  the  lavatories,  a  boiler  and  water  heater 

258 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

are  necessary,  and  these  are  provided  for  in  the 
boiler  room. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  building  is  divided  by 
a  masonry  wall  into  two  compartments,  one  for 
men  and  the  other  for  women.  Each  compartment 
is  further  provided  with  an  attendant's  room  and 
a  closet  with  shelves  for  storing  supplies.  There 
are  two  special  features  to  this  public  convenience 
station  which  will  commend  themselves  to  every 
one.  In  the  women's  department  there  is  an 
emergency  room,  or  retiring  room,  fitted  with  a  cot, 
where  a  patient  can  be  taken  in  case  of  emergency 
while  medical  attendance  is  summoned.  Telephones 
are  likewise  provided  to  speedily  communicate  with 
distant  points. 

The  second  special  feature  is  pay  compart- 
ments in  both  the  women's  and  men's  rooms. 
These  pay  compartments  are  fitted  up  with  water 
closets  and  lavatories,  and  the  use  of  one,  together 
with  a  fresh  cake  of  soap  in  an  unbroken  wrapper 
and  a  clean  towel,  can  be  had  for  the  small  sum  of 
five  cents.  The  pay  compartments  are  about  7J 
feet  long  by  4J  feet  wide  and  can  be  conveniently 
used  by  hot  and  dirty  travelers  in  which  to  take  a 
refreshing  sponge  bath. 

Underground  Public  Convenience  Stations. — 

A  suitable  site  is  not  always  available  for  an  above- 
ground  public  convenience  station,  fora  public  con- 
venience station  built  above  ground  might  form 
more  or  less  of  an  obstruction  or  might  not  lend 
itself  readily  to  the  decorative  effect  of  the  locality. 
In  such  cases,  or  when  for  any  other  reason  it  be- 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


§   *: 


261 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

comes  necessary  or  advisable,  public  convenience 
stations  may  be  built  underground. 

A  sectional  view  through  the  stairway  of  an 
underground  public  convenience  station,  showing 
an  elevation  of  the  structure,  may  be  seen  in  Fig. 
123.  In  this  station  the  stairways  are  located  out- 
side of  the  building.  Ordinarily,  however,  it  will 
be  found  better  to  place  them  within  when  such  a 
design  is  possible.  This  is  more  particularly  true 
in  cold  climates,  where,  if  located  outside,  they 
might  become  covered  with  ice,  thereby  proving 
dangerous  to  the  visitors  and  the  source  of  numer- 
ous lawsuits  for  damages  by  people  injured  by  fall- 
ing on  the  icy  surfaces. 

This  illustration  does  not  show  the  ventilator 
shaft,  which  projects  above  the  top  to  carry  off  the 
exhaust  air  from  within  which  is  forced  out  by 
electrically  operated  fans. 

It  might  seem  unnecessary  to  remark  that  all 
that  part  of  the  structure  of  an  underground  public 
convenience  station  which  shows  at  the  surface  or 
projects  above  ground  level  should  be  made  ornate 
and  attractive  rather  than  ugly  and  repellent.  If 
a  station  is  attractively  designed  and  well  man- 
aged it  will  prove  a  welcome  convenience  in  any 
locality,  not  an  objectionable  feature  or  a  nuisance. 

The  interior  arrangement  of  this  underground 
public  convenience  station  is  shown  in  Fig.  124. 
It  may  be  said  that  not  only  is  this  interior  similar 
to  the  one  previously  shown,  but,  further,  that  the 
interiors  of  all  public  comfort  stations  are  prac- 
tically the  same,  the  arrangement  and  kind  of  fix- 
tures, shape  and  dimensions  of  the  building,  and 

262 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


263 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 

general  arrangement  of  the  various  compartments 
being  the  only  details  in  which  they  differ.  The 
object  is  to  make  every  station  a  public  convenience 
in  .every  sense.  To  this  end  an  attendant  should 
be  on  duty  both  in  the  men's  and  women's  com- 
partments at  all  times  while  the  station  is  open, 
and  the  services  of  the  attendants  should  be  at  the 
command  of  patrons  free  of  charge. 

That  all  people  shall  be  treated  alike,  tips 
should  be  barred  and  attendants  should  not  be  per- 
mitted to  solicit  visitors  to  purchase  notions  or  nov- 
elties which  they  have  for  sale.  Only  such  toilet 
articles  as  are  necessary  or  convenient  should  be 
carried  on  hand  for  sale,  and  these  should  be  ob- 
tainable for  a  small  fee,  which  should  go  to  the 
maintenance  fund  of  the  station,  not  be  a  per- 
sonal transaction  of  the  attendant.  Bootblacking 
privileges  may  be  given  or  rented,  pay  telephone 
stations  provided,  and  directories,  maps  and  other 
charts  and  books  should  be  on  hand  for  free  con- 
sultation, so  that  all  possible  information  about  the 
city — streets,  hotels,  theaters,  libraries,  schools, 
bath  houses,  art  galleries  and  other  points  of  inter- 
est—may be  obtained.  Drinking  fountains  may 
likewise  be  installed  to  minister  to  the  wants  of 
thirsty  patrons,  and  soap,  towels  and  other  toilet 
necessities  should  be  obtainable  at  small  cost. 

The  question  whether  to  make  a  station  self 
supporting  often  comes  up  for  consideration.  In 
densely  crowded  districts,  where  the  attendance  is 
large,  the  small  fee  of  one  cent  per  person  would 
not  only  pay  operating  expenses  and  interest  on 
the  money  invested  but  in  from  four  to  ten  years 

264 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


265 


Plumbing    Plans    and    Specifications 


266 


Plumbing    Plans   -and    Specifications 

pay  off  the  original  indebtedness,  leaving  the  build- 
ing free  and  clear.  By  charging  one  quarter  cent 
each  visit  and  issuing  tickets  of  admission  the 
operating  expenses  of  the  station  can  be  earned. 

The  plan  of  charging  admission  might  satisfac- 
torily solve  the  problem  for  many  municipalities 
which  otherwise  could  not  see  their  way  clear  to 
assume  the  original  indebtedness  and  yearly 
charges  attendant  upon  the  construction  of  a  suit- 
able number  of  stations  for  the  public  needs.  In 
such  cases  the  public  would  not  object  to  paying  a 
nominal  fee  of  one  cent  for  adults — children  free— 
and  by  this  means  within  a  few  years  the  city 
would  own  the  stations,  when  they  could  be  thrown 
open  to  the  free  use  of  the  public.  It  would  be 
better,  for  instance,  for  a  large  city  requiring 
twenty  public  convenience  stations  to  erect  them 
all  and  charge  a  small  admission  fee  than  to  build 
only  one  for  free  use.  When  possible,  however, 
to  build  and  maintain  free  public  convenience  sta- 
tions no  fee  should  be  exacted.  The  prime  object 
is  to  make  the  stations  public  conveniences  and  the 
full  value  of  the  convenience  will  not  be  experienced 
if  a  fee,  no  matter  how  small,  is  charged. 


267 


INDEX 


Above-ground  Convenience 
Station,  An 268 

Accommodations,  Temporary 
Closet. 118 

Advanced  Schools— and  Col- 
leges   165 

Analysis  of  Specifications 101 

Apparatus  for  Apartment 
Houses,  Miscellaneous 154 

Apartment  House  Fixtures, 
Overflows  for 154 

Apartment  Houses 147 

Apartment  Houses,  Miscella- 
neous Apparatus  for 154 

Apartment  House  Plans,  Ex- 
ample of 152 

Apartment  Houses,  Planning 
the  Plumbing  in 147 

Apparatus  on  Plans,  Indicating 
Plumbing 13 

Arbitration 113 

Arranging  Fixtures  in  the 
Bathroom 57 

Athletic  Clubs...  ..212 


B 


Bath  and  Wash  House,  Exam- 
ple of  a  Public 236 

Bath  Houses,  Location  of 230 

Bath  Houses,  Necessity  for 229 

Bath  Houses,  Public 229 

Bath  in  the  Home,  Turkish 136 

Bath,  Requirements  of  a  Pub- 
lic   231 

Bathing,  Fees  for 233' 

Bathroom,  Arranging  Fixtures 

in  the 57 

Bathroom  Fixtures 128 

Bathroom,  Scale  Drawings  of..    57 
Baths  in  Schools,  Shower.. . ...  162 

Beginning  and  Termination  of 
Work..  ..  108 


Brass  Goods,  Weights  and 
Quality  of 121 

Building,  Example  of  a  Club. . .  207 

Building,  Example  of  a  Hotel,.  203 

Buildings,  Club 205 

Buildings,  Planning  the  Plumb- 
ing for  Club 205 

Buildings,  Planning  the  Plumb- 
ing for  Factory 222 

Buildings,  Planning  the  Plumb- 
ing for  Hotel 193 

Buildings,  Planning  the  Plumb- 
ing for  Office 224 

Buildings,  Planning  the  Plumb- 
ing for  School 157 

Buildings,  Planning  the  Plumb- 
ing in  Y.  M.  C.  A 171 

Buildings,  Requirements  for 
Various  Types  of 123 

Buildings,  School 157 

Buildings,  Y.  M.  C.  A 171 


Changes  from  Plans 110 

Churches 215 

Churches,  Planning  the  Plumb- 
ing for 215 

City  Clubs 206 

Clauses,  Salvation 114 

Closet  Accommodations,  Tem- 
porary    118 

Club  Building 205 

Club  Building,  Example  of  a. .  207 
Club  Buildings,  Planning  the 

Plumbing  for 205 

Clubs,  Athletic 212 

Clubs,  City 206 

Clubs,  Country 205 

Colleges  and  Schools,  Advanced  165 

Conditions,  General 87 

Connections  to  Drains 122 

Contractor,    Photographic 
Prints  for  the 60 


Convenience  Station,  An 
Above-ground 258 

Convenience  Stations,  Exam- 
ples of  Public 258 

Convenience  Stations,  Location 
for  Public 256 

Convenience  Stations,  Planning 
Public 255 

Convenience  Stations,  Under- 
ground Public 260 

Country  Clubs 205 

Courthouses 183 

Courthouses,  Planning  Plumb- 
ing for 183 


Dentists'  and  Doctors'  Homes..  134 

Description  of  Drawings 104 

Detail  Drawings 34 

Details,  Plumbing 45 

Divisions  and  Subdivisions  of 

Specifications 85 

Doctors'  and  Dentists'  Homes..  134 

Drains,  Connections  to 122 

Drainage  Pipes,  Testing 121 

Drainage  System 87 

Drawings,  Description  of 104 

Drawings,  Detail 34 

Drawings  of  Bathrooms,  Scale    57 

Drawing  Plumbing  Plans 55 

Drinking  Fountains  for  Schools  165 


Examples  of  Residence  Plumb- 
ing   138 

Example  of  the  Usual  Plumb- 
ing- Plan 27 

Extra  Work,  Prices  for 112 


Factory   Buildings,   Planning 

the  Plumbing  for 222 

Fees  for  Bathing 233 

Filter 134 

Fire  Engine  Houses,  Planning 

the  Plumbing  for 220 

Fixtures gs 

Fixtures,  Bathroom 128 

Fixtures  for  Schools,  Number 

of  Toilet 160 

Fixtures  in  the  Bathroom,  Ar- 
ranging      57 

Fixtures,  Kitchen 131 

Fixtures,  Laundry 132 

Fixtures,  Location  and  Num- 
ber of 105 

Fixtures,  Nursery 131 

Fixtures  on  Plans,  Indicating 

Plumbing 15 

Fixtures,  Overflows  for  Apart- 
ment House 154 

Fixtures  Required,  Number  of,  159 
Framing  for  Plumbing  Pipes . .  56 
Function  of  Specifications ...  .  61 


B 


Elements  Into  Specifications, 
Reading 118 

Engine  Houses,  Planning  the 
Plumbing  for  Fire 220 

Example  of  Apartment  House 
Plans 152 

Example  of  a  Club  Building. . .  207 

Example  of  a  Hotel  Building. .  203 

Example  of  a  Plumbing  Speci- 
fication    65 

Example  of  a  Public  Bath  and 
Wash  House 236 

Example  of  New  Method 
Plumbing  Plans 35 

Examples  of  New  Method 
Plumbing  Details 45 

Examples  of  Plumbing  in 
Schoolhouses 166 

Examples  of  Public  Conve-- 
nience  Stations 258 


Guaranteeing  Work  and    Ma- 
terials    115 


H 

Homes,    Doctors'  and    Den- 
tists'   134 

Home,  Turkish  Bath  in  the 136 

Hospitals 246 

Hospitals,  Theaters  and  Pris- 
ons, Plumbing  Work  in 243 

Hotels 193 

Hotel  Building,  Example  of  a..  203 
Hotel  Buildings,  Planning  the 

Plumbing  for 193 

Hot  Water  for  Residences 133 

House,  Example  of  a    Public 

Bath  and  Wash 236 

Houses,  Apartment 147 


Houses,  Location  of  Bath 230 , 

Houses,  Necessity  for  Bath. ...  229 

Houses,  Public  Bath 229 

Houses,  Planning  the  Plumb- 
ing for  Fire  Engine 220 

Houses,  Planning  the  Plumb- 
ing in  Apartment 147 

Houses,  Public  Wash 234 


Improved   Type  of  Plumbing 
Plans 33 

Indicating    Plumbing   Appa- 
ratus on  Plans 13 

Indicating  Plumbing  Fixtures 
on  Plans 15 

Indicating  Plumbing  Works  on 
Plans 3 

Infirmary 161 

Intermediate  and  Primary 
Schools 158 

Interpretation  of  Plans  and 
Specifications 101 

Inspection    and  Superintend- 
ence   107 

'  Instructions,  Verbal Ill 


K 


Kitchen  Fixtures 131 

Kitchens  in  Schools 163 


Laundry  Fixtures 132 

Layout  of  Plumbing  Systems . .    25 
Libraries,  Planning  the  Plumb- 
ing for 219 

Location  and  number  of  Fix- 
tures  105 

Location  of  Bath  Houses 230 

Location  of  Public  Convenience 

Stations 256 

Lunches,  School  Tax  Item 164 


M 

Main,  Water 89 

Materials   and  Work,  Guaran- 
teeing  115 


N 

Necessity  for  Bath  Houses. ...  229 

New  Method  Plumbing  Plans, 
Example  of 35 

Noiseless  Plumbing  in  Resi- 
dences  135 

Number  and  Location  of  Fix- 
tures  105 

Number  of  Fixtures  Required..  159 

Number  of  Toilet  Fixtures  for 
Schools 160 

Nursery  Fixtures. 131 


Office  Buildings,  Planning  the 
Plumbing  for 224 

Offices,  Planning  the  Plumbing 
for  Printing 227 

Overflows  for  Apartment 
House  Fixtures 154 


Pantry  Sink 131 

Payments 116 

Permits  and  Plumbing  Laws. .  105 
Photographic  Prints  for  the 

Contractor 60 

Pipe,  Service 92 

Pipes,  Framing  for  Plumbing..  56 
Pipes,  Specifying  Weights  of..  121 
Pipes,  Testing  the  Drainage. . .  121 
Plan,  Example  of  the  Usual 

Plumbing 27 

Planning  Plumbing  for  Court- 
houses   183 

Planning  Plumbing  Work 123 

Planning    Public  Convenience 

Stations 255 

Planning   the  Plumbing  for 

Churches 215 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for 

Club  Buildings 205 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Fac- 
tory Buildings 222 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Fire 

Engine  Houses 220 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Ho- 
tel Buildings 193 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Li- 
braries    219 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Of- 
fice Buildings 224 


Planning1  the  Plumbing1  for 
Printing  Offices 227 

Planning  the  Plumbing-  for 
Railway  Stations 225 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for 
Residences 127 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for 
School  Buildings 157 

Planning  the  Plumbing  for  Va- 
rious Structures 219 

Planning  the  Plumbing  in 
Apartment  Houses 147 

Planning  the  Plumbing  in  Y. 
M.  C.  A.  Buildings 171 

Plans  a»d  Specifications,  Inter- 
pretation of 101 

Plans,  Changes  from 110 

Plans,  Drawing  Plumbing 55 

Plans,  Example  of  Apartment 
House 152 

Plans,  Improved  Type  of 
Plumbing 33 

Plans,  Indicating  Plumbing 
Apparatus  on 13 

Plans,  Indicating  Plumbing 
Fixtures  on 15 

Plans,  Indicating  Plumbing 
Work  on 3 

Plans,  Plumbing 1 

Plans,  Symbols  for  Plumbing..      1 

Plans,  Usual  Type  of  Plumb- 
ing   25 

Playgrounds,  Public 238 

Plumbing  Apparatus  on  Plans, 
Indicating 13 

Plumbing,  Examples  of  Resi- 
dence   138 

Plumbing  Details 45 

Plumbing  Fixtures  on  Plans, 
Indicating 15 

Plumbing  for  Churches,  Plan- 
ning the 215 

Plumbing  for  Club  Buildings, 
Planning  the 205 

Plumbing  for  Courthouses, 
Planning 183 

Plumbing  for  Factory  Build- 
ings, Planning  the 222 

Plumbing  for  Fire  Engine 
Houses,  Planning  the 220 

Plumbing  for  Hotel  Buildings, 
Planning  the 193 

Plumbing  for  Libraries,  Plan- 
ning the 219 

Plumbing  for  Office  Buildings, 
Planning  the 224 

Plumbing  for  Printing  Offices, 
Planning  the 227 


Plumbing  for  Railway  Stations, 

Planning  the 225 

Plumbing  for  Residences,  Plan- 
ning the 127 

Plumbing  for  School  Buildings, 

Planning  the 157 

Plumbing  for  Various  Struc- 
tures, Planning  the 219 

Plumbing    in    Apartment 

Houses,  Planning  the 147 

Plumbing  in  Residences,  Noise- 
less    135 

Plumbing  in  Schoolhouses,  Ex- 
amples of 166 

Plumbing  in  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Build- 
ings, Planning  the 171 

Plumbing  Laws  and  Permits..  105 
Plumbing    Plan,  Example    of 

the  Usual 27 

Plumbmg  Plans 1 

Plumbing  Plans,  Drawing 55 

Plumbing  Pipes,  Framing  for. .    56 
Plumbing  Plans,  Example  of 

New  Method 35 

Plumbing  Plans,  Improved 

Type  of 33 

Plumbing  Plans,  Symbols  for..      1 
Plumbing  Plans,  Usual  Type  of    25 
Plumbing  Specification,  Exam- 
ple of  a 65 

Plumbing  Specifications 61 

Plumbing  Specifications, 

Writing 61 

Plumbing  Systems,  Layout  of..    25 
Plumbing  Work  in    Theaters, 

Hospitals  and  Prisons 243 

Plumbing  Work  on  Plans,  Indi- 
cating    3 

Plumbing  Work,  Planning 123 

Prices  for  Extra  Work 112 

Primary  and  Intermediate 
School 158 

Prints  for  the  Contractor,  Pho- 
tographic   60 

Printing  Offices,  Planning  the 
Plumbing  for 227 

Prisons 253 

Prisons,  Hospitals  and  Thea- 
ters, Plumbing  Work  in  ...  243 

Public  Bath  and  Wash  House, 
Example  of 236 

Public  Bath  Houses 229 

Public  Bath,  Requirements 231 

Public  Convenience  Stations, 
Examples  of 258 

Public  Convenience  Stations, 
Location  for 256 


Public  Convenience  Stations, 
Planning 255 

Public  Convenience  Stations, 
Underground » 

Public  Playgrounds 23 

Public  Wash  Houses 234 


Quality  and  Weights  of  Brass 
Goods 


Railway  Stations,  Planning  the 
Plumbing  for 225 

Reading  Elements  Into  Speci- 
fications   H8 

Requirements    for    Various 
Types  of  Buildings 12 

Requirements  of  a  Public  Bath  231 

Residences,  Hot  Water  for. ...  133 

Residences,  Noiseless  Plumb- 
ing  in k*5 

Residence  Plumbing,  Exam- 
pies  of I38 

Residences,    Planning    the.__ 
Plumbing  for 12 

Room,  Teachers' W 

Rooms,  Ventilation  of  Toilet- . .  160 


s 


Salvation  Clauses H4 

Scale  Drawings  of  Bathrooms..    57 

School  Buildings 157 

School  Buildings,  Planning  the 

Plumbing  for 157 

School  Lunches  Tax  Item 164 

Schools  and    Colleges,  Ad- 
vanced  165 

Schools,    Drinking    Fountains 

for I65 

Schoolhouses,  Examples  of 

Plumbing  in 166 

Schools,  Intermediate  and  Pri- 
mary  15 

Schools,  Kitchens  in 163 

Schools,  Number  of  Toilet  Fix- 
tures for 16 

Schools,  Shower  Baths  in 16 

Schools,  Swimming  Pools  in. . .  163 
Schools,  Water  Closet  Accom- 
modations for 15 

Service  Pipe 92 


Shower  Baths  in  Schools 162 

Sink,  Pantry 131 

Sinks,  Slop 130 

Slop  Sinks 130 

Specification,  Example  of  a 

Plumbing 65 

Specification  Writing,  Sugges- 
tions for 8 

Specifications,  Analysis  of 101 

Specifications  and  Plans,  Inter- 

pretation  of 101 

Specifications,   Divisions   and 

Subdivisions  of »5 

Specifications,  Function  of 61 

Specifications,  Plumbing 61 

Specifications,  Reading  Ele- 
ments into 118 

Specifications,  Writing  Plumb- 
ing     61 

Specifying  Weights  of  Pipes. .  121 
Station,  An  Above-ground  Con- 
venience   258 

Stations,  Example    of    Public 

Convenience 258 

Stations,  Location   for  Public 

Convenience 256 

Stations,  Planning  Public  Con- 
venience  255 

Stations,  Planning  the  Plumb- 

ing  for  Railway 22 

Stations,  Suburban 225 

Stations,  Terminal. 226 

Stations,  Underground  Public 

Convenience 260 

Structures,    Planning    the 

Plumbing  for  Various 219 

Subdivisions  and  Divisions  of 

Specifications = 

Suburban  Stations 225 

Suggestions  for  Specification 

Writing 85 

Superintendence  and  Inspec- 

tion «" 

Supply,  Water 88 

Supply,  Water 89 

Symbols  for  Plumbing  Plans. .      1 
Swimming  Pools  in  Schools....  163 

System,  Drainage 87 

Systems,  Layout  of  Plumbing..    25 


Tax  Item,  School  Lunches 164 

Teachers'  Room 161 

Temporary  Closet  Accommoda- 
tions H8 


Termination  and  Beginning  of 

Work ' log 

Terminal  Stations 226 

Testing  the  Drainage  Pipes 121 

Theaters,  Hospitals  and  Pris- 
ons, Plumbing  Work  in 243 

Toilet  Fixtures  for  Schools, 

Number  of 160 

Toilet  Rooms,  Ventilation  of. . .  160 
Type  of  Plumbing  Plans,  Im- 
proved      33 

Type  of  Plumbing  Plans,  Usual    25 
Types  of  Buildings,  Require- 
ments for  Various 123 

Turkish  Bath  in  the  Home 136 


u 

Underground  Public  Conve- 
nience Stations 260 

Usual  Plumbing  Plan,  Exam- 
ple of  the 27 

Usual  Types  of  Plumbing1 
Plans...  ;  05 


Various   Types   of   Buildings, 

Requirements  for . .  123 

Ventilation  of  Toilet  Rooms...  160 
Verbal  Instructions m 


w 


Wash  House  and  Bath,  Exam- 
ple of  a  Public 236 

Wash  Houses,  Public 234 

Water  Closet  Accommodations 
for  Schools 158 

Water  for  Residences,  Hot....  133 

Water  Main 89 

Water  Supply gg 

Water  Supply 89 

Weights  and  Quality  of  Brass 
Goods 121 

Weights  of  Pipes,  Specifying..  121 

Work  and   Materials,  Guaran- 
teeing   115 

Work,  Beginning  and   Termi- 
nation of 108 

Work    in  Theaters,  Hospitals 
and  Prisons,  Plumbing....  243 

Work  on   Plans,   Indicating 

Plumbing 3 

Work,  Planning  Plumbing 123 

Work,  Prices  for  Extra 112 

Writing   Plumbing    Specifica- 
tions  61 

Writing,  Suggestions  for  Speci- 
fication    .     85 


''YLIFO' 


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